A man from Bradford has received a suspended prison sentence for breaching health and construction safety regulations that caused a worker to fall from a roof
The incident occurred on March 25, 2020, at a unit in Shipley. 34-year-old Uzaifa Khan fell 30 feet through a fragile roof, resulting in a broken hip and pelvis. According to Mr. Khan, the incident has left him unable to perform 95% of his usual activities. Fazal Subkhan was sentenced to nine months.
“It’s been a crazy two and a half years. A lot has happened since regarding my physical and mental wellbeing. It has impacted me greatly,” said Khan.
“I can’t physically pick up my daughter, and she cries that I can’t do so. I don’t feel safe going out anymore as I can’t physically look after myself,” he continued.
Subkhan ignored the construction safety protocol
During a hearing at Leeds Crown Court, it was revealed that Mr Subkhan and Mr Khan were working together on the roof of Unit C, Ashely Lane in Shipley. Khan fell through the fragile roof and landed on pallets 36 feet below. He suffered several injuries, including broken ribs, a partially collapsed lung, a shattered left wrist, and a broken left elbow.
According to an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Subkhan had previously repaired the roof. He then returned to perform additional work without conducting a risk assessment. The HSE also found that safe access to the fragile roof and the risk of falling were not considered. No construction safety measures were implemented.
In addition to the suspended prison sentence, Subkhan must also complete 150 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £2,500 in costs.
Roof falls are a common risk for construction workers
“Falls through fragile roofs and fragile roof lights cause death and serious injury. They account for almost a fifth of all the fatal accidents which result from a fall from height in the construction industry,” said HSE inspector Chris Tilley.
Research has found that falling from a height was responsible for almost a quarter (24%) of fatal workplace injuries between 2021 and 2022. The HSE’s agency’s yearly report found that, on average, 35 people died each year from falling from a height between 2017 and 2022.
“It’s better to avoid working on fragile roofs at all, but if you have to, always assess the risk and employ safe control measures like installing perimeter edge protection, the use of staging on the roof surface to spread the loads or installing safety nets underneath the roof,” he concluded.
