A builder has been fined for safety failings after an employee suffered life changing injuries when he fell through a fragile roof light.

Bristol Crown Court heard how in August 2014 the 25-year-old employee of N C Tucker Limited of Wedmore, fell five metres through a fragile roof light at a farm during roofing work. This was his first roofing job, having only worked for the company for four weeks prior to the incident.

He suffered brain injury, a fractured spine and broken ribs.

N C Tucker Limited, of The Cottage, Guildhall Lane, Wedmore, was fined a total of £26,000, and ordered to pay £3,738 in costs after pleading guilty to an offence under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Speaking after the hearing HSE Inspector Sue Adsett said:

“The young man who fell has had life changing injuries which have severely affected him and his family. The use of nets to protect against falls through fragile roof lights is well- established in the industry, if nets had been in place this accident would have been prevented”

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Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/   
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

(source)

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Examples of situations where rooftop fall protection is needed:

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