A company has been fined after an employee died following a fall through a skylight.
Leicester Crown Court heard how the deceased was working with another employee on the roof, re-siting a heater and new chimney flue, when the incident occurred. He suffered severe injuries and died as a result six months later.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident, which occurred on October 31, 2014, found that the work at height on a fragile roof was not appropriately planned, supervised or carried out in a safe manner.
The company based in Leicester, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4 and Regulation 9(2) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, and has been fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £35,000.
Speaking after the hearing, Michelle Morrison, HSE inspector, said: “A well planned job would have identified the risks from working on a fragile roof, so that steps could have been taken to prevent the risk of anyone falling from height. This tragic incident was entirely avoidable if appropriate controls had been put in place.
“Proper precautions should be taken when working on roofs and near fragile skylights, even for short duration work. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
