North Devon farm worker injured in roof fall

Date:

16 February 2011

Release No:

WW16/2

A farmworker was injured when he fell around 12 feet through a roof he was fixing.

The incident happened at Mambury Farm, East Putford, near Holsworthy on 4 September 2009, when Roger Tryner, 67, who lived near Bideford, was asked to carry out work on the roof of a barn.

The Mambury Farm Ltd site where the incident occurred

North Devon Magistrates at Barnstaple heard today (16 Feb) that Mr Tryner, who was self-employed, was checking for loose corrugated metal sheets on the roof when a wooden roof support broke and he fell through to the floor below, breaking a collarbone. He also suffered concussion and severe cuts and bruising.

Mambury Farm Ltd, of High Street, Bideford, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs in the case brought by the Health and Safety Executive.

Speaking after the case, HSE inspector, Tony Makin, said:

"This incident could have resulted in far worse injuries causing disability or even death.

The Mambury Farm Ltd site where the incident occurred

"Simple steps, such as planning the work properly and using a platform would have prevented this unnecessary incident which has caused pain and distress to Mr Tryner.

"Anyone employing people to carry out roof repairs, particularly on older farm buildings, must assess the risks involved and take steps to minimise them."

Last year more than 4,000 workers suffered major injuries as the result of falls from height and 15 lost their lives. Information on preventing injuries is available at www.hse.gov.uk/falls

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. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 requires employers and the self-employed to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of persons at work. Specific duties in relation to ensuring safety in working at height are set out in the Work at Height Regulations. Regulation 6 of the Work at Height Regulations require that as far as is reasonably practicable measures are taken which prevent a person falling a distance liable to cause personal injury.

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