Health and Safety Failings – Family partnership fined following roof fall

Family partnership fined following roof fall

Key Facts

• A worker fell through a skylight over 4m to the concrete floor below
• He suffered a broken bones and severe bruising
• The family partnership were fined £5,000 plus costs.

The Case

An HSE investigation was launched into the safety practices of a family partnership after a 24 year old worker fell through a skylight whilst carrying out work at height.

The family partnership had contracted a company to carry out a one day silage harvest. The 24 year old employee was helping to sheet the silage by lowering a plastic sheet from the roof of a cattle shed, whilst under the direction of the partnership. Whilst doing so, he tripped and fell through a skylight and fell at 4m to the concrete floor below. He sustained a broken arm and elbow and heavy bruising.

The subsequent HSE investigation determined that the roof work had not been safely planned and that there was no safe system of work in place to prevent falls off or through the fragile roof.

The case was heard in March 2016 where the family partnership pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. They were fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1121.55.

What the law states

Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height regulations 2005 states that

(3) Where work is carried out at height, every employer shall take suitable and sufficient measures to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, any person falling a distance liable to cause personal injury.

More information about safe work at height can be found here >>

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