A roofing company has been fined £20,000 after a worker fell around three metres through a roof light and suffered a fractured pelvis and spinal injuries
Leeds Magistrates Court heard how, on 17 March 2016, a self-employed roofer, working for PNR Roofing and Building Services Limited (PNR), was on a roof laying wooden ‘lats’ and roofing felt, when he falls from height through a skylight that was covered with felt. PNR was subcontracted to carry out roof work at Globe Mills in Slaithwaite.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) discovered that whilst PNR initially provided airbags as a means of mitigating any falls by employees, the airbags had been moved to remove debris and the worker hit the floor instead.
PNR Roofing and Building Services Ltd of Park View, Shafton, Barnsley pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and has been fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £1,100 in costs.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Chris Tilley said: “Falls from height through fragile surfaces and skylights remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities in this country and the risks associated with working at height are well known.
“This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply adopting reasonably practicable safe working practices such as using netting instead of relying on fall bags”
