A roofline installer has been found guilty for failing to plan work at height after an employee sustained serious injuries from a fall…
Roger Smith Installations Limited has received a significant fine after it was found guilty of breaching regulations. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigators found the company guilty of failing to plan to work at height.
The case, which was heard at Nuneaton Magistrates Court, revealed a workman fell 4 metres while installing soffit and fascias on a domestic property near Leamington Spa in Warwickshire. As a result he suffered bleeding on the brain, as well as injuries to his lungs and ribs.
The HSE found the company guilty of breaching regulation 4 (1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The equipment provided was said to be inadequate, as there were no guardrails or toe boards. Additionally, the equipment had not been installed in line with the manufacturers instructions.
The firm was fined a total of £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,229, as well as a victim surcharge of £120.
HSE Inspector Ed Fryer said: “Falls from height remain the most common form of workplace fatality. There is no excuse for not planning work at height properly or ensuring the appropriate safety equipment is used.
“Access equipment used for working at height should always be installed in line with manufacturer’s instructions.
“This equipment had no guard rails to prevent a person from falling and it could have easily cost this man his life.
“It is vital to ensure that equipment is in good order as structural failures can have terrible consequences. The roofing industry is well aware of the risks involved whilst working at height and the controls which should be put in place to manage those risks.”
