Firm in court after worker’s fall
A Southport-based firm has been fined after one of its employees suffered serious injuries when he fell from a bungalow roof.
What happened?
The 60-year-old had been asked to repair a broken ridge tile on the roof of a bungalow.
Using his ladder to climb onto the flat roof of the conservatory at the back of the property, he then pulled the ladder up onto the conservatory roof in order to reach the tile at the top of the bungalow. In doing so, he fell four metres onto the ground below and was found by the tenant, who called for an ambulance.
He fractured his back and skull, broke several ribs and had to stay in the high dependency unit at the hospital for a week before being transferred to a normal ward. He was off work for a total of 19 weeks as a result of his injuries.
An investigation into the incident found that the work on the roof had not been planned or supervised and the worker had not been given suitable equipment, such as scaffolding or a harness.
In addition to this, the firm also failed to report the incident to HSE despite this being a legal requirement when workers suffer a serious injury.
What was the outcome?
Instruments & Gauges Electronics Ltd, pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, and was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay £961 in prosecution costs.
HSE Inspector Jackie Western said:
“One of the company’s employees has suffered serious injuries that may
well affect him for the rest of his life because his employer
ignored its legal duty to make sure he stayed safe.
“Falls from height are the most common cause of deaths and serious injuries
in the construction industry. The work to repair the ridge tile should
have been planned properly but instead the employee was allowed
to climb up to the roof without suitable equipment.
“Instruments & Gauges Electronics should have made sure the work was
carried out safely or, better still, hired a specialist
roofing firm that knew what it was doing.”
If you have been affected by an accident at work, and you would like expert advice, contact Hampson Hughes Solicitors today on 0800 888 6888 or email
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