A roofing company owner has been given a suspended sentence after a member of the public reported a concern regarding unsafe work at height.
A Crown Court heard how, on 5 March 2021, a company owner and two workers were replacing roof tiles on a detached dormer bungalow, without any scaffolding or edge protection in place to prevent them from falling a distance liable to cause personal injury.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the owner had failed to take suitable and sufficient measures to ensure that work at height was carried out safely. He had failed to provide sufficient work equipment to prevent a fall or to minimise the distance or consequences of a fall.
The court also heard that this was not the first time that HSE had encountered poor working practices from the owner. The HSE took previous enforcement action and prosecuted him for a similar offence in 2012.
The owner of the company was found guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. He received a thirteen-month suspended prison sentence, 200 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay costs of £1,000.
After the hearing, an HSE inspector said: “Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities in this country and the risks associated with working at height are well known. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standard”.
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Source: Health and Safety Executive (HSE)