Fall From Height
A Burnley-based company and a director have been fined after a employee fell seven metres whilst carrying out refurbishment work on a fragile roof.
Mr Lucasz Czuba of Newcastle-upon-Tyne fell from the roof of Shoe City in Gateshead, in July 2007.
He was helping to fit steel sheets over the fragile plastic roof lights on the building when he stepped on an unprotected light and fell to the warehouse floor, seriously injuring himself.
Webber Trading Ltd was ordered to pay £8,238 after pleading guilty at Gateshead Magistrates' Court to charges under section 3(1) and section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Company director Jeffrey Robinson, who was on the roof when Mr Czuba fell, also pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay £1,200 in fines and costs.
HSE inspector Martin Smith said: "The measures which should have been taken in order to prevent this incident happening are straightforward and well documented. It is clear that the director and the company failed to recognise the risks posed in working on the fragile roof lights. This serious incident could have been avoided."
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http://www.hse.gov.uk/ (Health and Safety Executive)
David Urpeth from law firm Irwin Mitchell said: “I welcome the fine imposed following this serious accident at work. Falls from high remain a major cause for concern.
“There are regulations in place which makes it clear to employers the need to adequately assess the risk and then take steps to ensure that workers do not suffer injury in a fall at work.”