A company which manufactures signage and displays for high street retailer was sentenced today for safety breaches after a worker fell to his death through a roof light.
Richard PerryRichard Perry, 43, was working with a colleague covering roof lights with blackout vinyl in June 2014 at Whiteghyll Plastics Ltd. This was in an attempt to block out the sunlight to reduce the heat within the factory. Mr Perry fell 5.5 metres through a fragile roof light to the fabrications department below.
The company failed to adequately supervise Mr Perry and another employee. There were several missed opportunities by a number of managers to stop them from working on the roof. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the firm over the incident.
Whitegyhll Plastics LtdWhiteghyll Plastics Ltd of City Road Bradford pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £120,000 with £37,655 costs by Bradford Crown Court.
Whiteghyll Plastics LtdAfter the hearing, HSE inspector Andrea Jones commented: “Two employees were on the roof for some time with no precautions in place to prevent falling through fragile roof material or off the open edge of the roof. This accident would not have happened if these two employees had been appropriately supervised by management.
“Falls from height, particularly from roofs is the highest cause of fatal accidents.”
Richard was a father of two, his wife was pregnant with their second son when he died. His wife, Samantha, said: “Richard was so looking forward to meeting his second son. Sadly he never got the chance to do that. Every time I look into his eyes I feel an immense sadness that he never got to meet his amazing Daddy.
“Not only did my boys lose their Daddy but I lost my husband, my best friend and my soul mate. I feel as if my heard was ripped out and died with him. I kissed him goodbye on Friday 13 June 2014 and he never came home.
“I never expected this to happen. Nobody should die at work and leave behind a young family and wife. He had his whole life ahead of him.”
Notes to Editors:
- 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
- More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
- HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk