Firm fined for worker's roof fall at Brecon activity centre

Date:

13 September 2012

A Bridgend firm has been sentenced for safety failings after a teenage worker plunged nearly six metres through a fragile roof at a children's activity centre.

Joshua Harry, 18, from Swansea, escaped with severe bruising to his back following the incident at Cantref Adventure Farm, Brecon, on 28 February 2012. He was one of a team of employees of WDS Green Energy Ltd installing solar panels at the centre.

Brecon Magistrates' Court was told yesterday (12 Sept) that an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that the company had not carried out adequate planning for the work and had failed to provide any fall protection.

HSE found there were no safety measures on site on the day, such as crawler boards, netting or harnesses, which could have prevented a fall.

WDS Green Energy Ltd of Court Road, Bridgend pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £4,181 in costs.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector David Kirkpatrick said:

"Mr Harry is a very lucky man indeed not to have suffered far worse injuries, or even death, in a fall from this height. Workers falling from heights are a major cause of death and injury in the construction industries - so it is crucial that working at height is planned, managed and controlled properly.

"Even when plans are made for working at height, employers must ensure these are carried out properly on site.

"The steps for preventing workers from falling through fragile roofs are simple and are well known in the construction and maintenance industry. It is imperative that companies take sensible precautions to prevent incidents like this from happening.

"In Wales we have seen a significant number of fatal and near fatal accidents when workers have fallen through fragile roofs on agricultural buildings or industrial units. The sad fact is that there are always simple and cost effective measures that could have been taken to prevent those falls."

Further information on how to reduce the risk of falls from height can be found on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/falls

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related 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. www.hse.gov.uk
2. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees."

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