Taunton company fined after man falls through fragile roof

Date:

28 March 2011

A Taunton roofing company has been fined after one of its employees was seriously injured when he fell through a roof in central Bristol.

Mike Preddy, aged 37, of Marlwood Drive in Bristol, was repairing the asbestos cement roof at a commercial property on Avonside Industrial Estate when he plunged through a roof light and dropped approximately seven and a half metres. He sustained multiple fractures to his back, arms, legs and ribs.

The Health and Safety Executive, which brought today's prosecution at Bristol Magistrates Court, found that Mr Preddy's employers, Associated Roofing & Maintenance Limited, of Venture Way, Priorswood, Taunton, had failed to provide sufficient protective measures to stop him from falling through the roof light.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 9(2) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, and was fined £4,500 and ordered to pay costs of £2,482.

After the hearing HSE inspector Steve Frain commented:

"Work at height carries a risk of serious injury and even death and it is the duty holder's responsibility to ensure workers are protected from falling.

"Associated Roofing & Maintenance Limited should have ensured they had protected any fragile material while work was being carried out on the roof, which would have significantly reduced the risk of this serious incident from happening."

In 2008/2009 over 4,000 major injuries were caused by falls from height at work. More information about working at height can be found on the HSE website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/falls/index.htm

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training, new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement.
2. Regulation 9(2) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 states that 'Where it is not reasonably practicable to carry out work safely and under appropriate ergonomic conditions without passing across or near, or working on, from or near, a fragile surface, every employer shall:
   1. ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that suitable and sufficient platforms, coverings, guard rails or similar means of support or protection are provided and used so that any foreseeable loading is supported by such supports or borne by such protection;
   2. where a risk of a person at work falling remains despite the measures taken under the preceding provisions of this regulation, take suitable and sufficient measures to minimise the distances and consequences of his fall.'

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News and PR (South West)