Falls through roof lights

Accident example 1

A farmer died after falling 4 m through a roof light while carrying out repairs to a barn roof. To reach the area of the in-sheet roof which needed repairing he had to pass a number of roof lights which had not been covered or fenced off. A colleague had been passing up materials but had gone to make a drink at the time of the accident.

The farmer doing the repairs was found semi-conscious beneath a broken roof light and was taken to hospital. He died nine days later as a result of head injuries.

Accident example 2

A warehouse operative suffered severe head injuries and died after falling 11 m through a roof light while inspecting the roof for sections which needed repairing. He was examining roof lights installed on the warehouse roof when he tripped and fell onto the roof light. The roof light broke under his weight and he fell to the concrete floor below. The employers were fined £35 000.

Accident example 3

A cleaning company was fined £15 000 after one of its employees fell just under 7 m and suffered a fractured skull, bruising and a dislocated finger. He was cleaning gutters on a fragile roof when he tried to cross from one side of the roof to the other. His foot slipped and he fell through a plastic roof light.

Precautions

• Check carefully for any roof lights in non-fragile roofs as they can be difficult to spot. They may have been painted over. In bright sunshine they can blend in with the surrounding sheets.
• Take precautions to prevent falls wherever the job involves passing by or working within 2 m of fragile roof lights. For example:
  • fit suitable, secure covers over the roof lights; or
  • provide suitable guard rails and toe boards around the roof lights; or
  • provide a safety net, airbag or similar immediately below the roof light.