A roofing contractor from East London suffered a broken back after falling through the skylight of a building extension. Investigation by the HSE revealed that safety procedures had been overlooked. The worker fell while removing tarpaulin from the one-storey roof extension at a flat in South West London back in December 2006. The tarpaulin had been put in place to provide the ground floor of the flat with weather protection. The worker was removing this when the tarpaulin snagged. The man stepped on some insulating board that had been laid across the skylight, which gave way under his weight. He fell over three metres to the concrete floor below.
The injured persons employer pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6 (3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined £10,000, with costs of £7,000.
The injured worker suffered a broken back as a result of the fall and can now only walk short distances and needs to use a walking stick. The injured worker's condition will not improve and he will not be able to return to work in the construction industry.
Speaking after the sentence, the injured man showed, again, how such injuries destroys lives:
Prior to the incident, I had an active life and enjoyed numerous outdoor activities, which I can no longer pursue. I no longer work as a result of my injuries. The incident has effectively turned my life upside down. I suffer terrible flashbacks and am currently on medication.
The HSE Inspector commented:
The impact on this man's life has been immeasurable. This incident could easily have been avoided, and illustrates there is no room for complacency even when working on small sites. Work at height is the single largest safety hazard on construction sites and needs to be properly managed.
No comments:
Post a Comment