Fragile roof replacement project lacked planning
Aston Roofing North West Ltd has been fined after roofwork was undertaken without precautions which created serious risk of injury at a Flintshire project in November 2012.
Mold Magistrates heard (10 May) that the Merseyside firm was contracted to replace the fragile asbestos cement roof sheets on light industrial units with new metal roof cladding.
On 1 November 2012 an off-duty HSE inspector spotted two workmen on the roof of one of the units. He could see that no safeguards were in place to prevent a fall from height and immediately prohibited work on the project.
The court heard that numerous ‘fall from height’ risks were found at the site including:
- access onto the roof via an untied ladder;
- no safeguards to prevent a fall through the fragile roofing material; and
- nothing to prevent a fall from the edges of the roof.
The workers were some four to five metres from the ground.
Aston Roofing North West Ltd, Kenilworth Drive, Pensby, Wirral, Merseyside pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The company was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £100.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Chris Wilcox said:
“The dangers of working at height are well known in the roofing industry yet poor safety standards and lack of safeguards still exist among some contractors.
These employees were working on fragile roofs and yet Aston Roofing North West had neglected to implement even the most basic safety measures to minimise the risks of falls. It is very fortunate that nobody was injured.
The prosecution should serve as a reminder to all building contractors to ensure working at height is properly planned and robust safety precautions taken. Employers have a legal duty to manage safety and failing to do so too often ends in tragedy.”