An engineering company has been fined after one of its employees fell through a roof while installing bird deterrent spikes
Craven and Nicholas (Engineering) Ltd of St Johns Road in Boston pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 4(1)(a) and 4(1)(c) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 after one of its employees fell through a roof.
Lincoln Magistrates Court heard how a man working for Craven and Nicholas Ltd, on 13 May 2020, stepped onto a fragile roof surface and fell six metres through it. He suffered serious injuries to his head and left arm.
Craven and Nicholas Ltd had not properly risk assessed the work at height
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that this task was not part of the normal work for employees of the company and they had not properly risk assessed and planned the work at height.
Craven and Nicholas (Engineering) Ltd of St Johns Road in Boston pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 4(1)(a) and 4(1)(c) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
They were fined £14,000 and also ordered to pay £6,541.80 in costs.
HSE provides guidance to protect employees when working at height
HSE inspector Tim Nicholson said: “Where work at height cannot be avoided, it should be properly planned, adequately supervised and carried out in a safe manner using appropriate equipment.
“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.
“There is a significant amount of guidance available to help companies protect employees when working at height on the HSE website.”
