A roofing and cladding firm has been fined £165,000 after an employee was killed when he fell through a fragile roof light 10m to a concrete floor below during repair work.
Basildon Crown Court heard how on 25 February 2018, Jonathan Moore an employee of R4 Industrial Roofing Cladding Systems Ltd was undertaking repairs on a large warehouse roof in the Port of Tilbury when he stepped on the rooflight, which gave way.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the repair work was carried out without appropriate safety precautions in place. The planning and supervision of the work was “completely inadequate”, which also put a self-employed worker assisting with the repairs at risk.
R4 Industrial Roofing Cladding Systems Ltd of Friern Gardens, Wickford, Essex pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. They were fined £165,000 and ordered to pay costs of £20,957.
HSE inspector Glyn Davies 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 unsafe work at height without suitable and sufficient controls in place is not acceptable and HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standard.”
