Perils of working at height
Storm Roofing Services Limited has been fined after an employee suffered serious injury when he fell through a roof skylight.
Newcastle under Lyme Magistrates’ Court heard how the young worker accessed an unprotected roof and fell through the skylight. He was working for his uncle during the summer vacation when the incident occurred. He suffered three cracked vertebrae.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident that occurred on 7 July 2014, found that there was poor supervision and training. (http://press.hse.gov.uk/2016/sixteen-year-old-worker-falls-through-skylight/?eban=govdel-press-release&cr=23-Feb-2016)
All businesses must comply with the Work at Height Regulations 2005, if they have any person working at a distance that if a worker fell could suffer personal injury.
The Regulations place a duty on employers, to ensure that all work at height is properly planned and organised, those involved in work at height are competent, the risks from work at height are assessed, and appropriate work equipment is selected and used, the risks of working on or near fragile surfaces are properly managed and that the equipment used for work at height is properly inspected and maintained.
If you have suffered an injury caused by a fall from height and you believe you sustained that injury due to lack of training of other employees, lack of equipment or faulty work equipment, or you feel the planning of the work was not adequate then contact our team today at Ringrose Law where we can advise you if you have a claim.