Company fined after unsafe work on roof
A Hampshire roofing boss has been fined after workers were spotted removing roof tiles without scaffolding or safety barriers to prevent them falling.
The owner of the company who traded and also bought used roof tiles from a demolition company dismantling a house in Surrey on the understanding his firm would remove them before the building was dismantled.
A neighbour who lived opposite the property witnessed workmen removing roof tiles from the house in an unsafe manner and alerted HSE.
One man was reportedly standing on the wet roof with no safety barriers or scaffolding, another was in the raised bucket of a digger taking tiles from the roof, while a third was on top of a long ladder throwing wall tiles down to ground level.
He had sent three Polish labourers to the property to remove the tiles, though he later claimed they started work earlier than agreed. HSE has been unable to contact any of the workers since the incident.
The court heard HSE attempted to reach the owner on more than five occasions to discuss the incident but he failed to answer correspondence, phone calls or attend interviews to discuss the matter. He was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,497.
Denis Bodger HSE's Inspector said:
“Falls from height are among the biggest causes of workplace deaths in the UK. Roofing firms should have safe systems in place to protect employees and sub-contractors. HSE will not hesitate to prosecute companies that workers or members of the public at risk.”
Updated on 9/13/2011