Unsafe Roof work caught twice in two days

Failure to heed HSE advice prompts fine and fees for intervention

Chohan Builders (West Midlands) Ltd has been fined after twice being spotted carrying out unsafe roof work just days apart in June 2014.

The firm were found carrying out work on the roof of a house in the Quinton area of Birmingham using a poorly-built tower scaffold to access the roof.

HSE served a prohibition notice because access to the scaffolding was unsafe and there was no bracing. The notice immediately stopped work on the site until the scaffolding was improved and edge protection or another suitable platform was used.

Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard (12 Dec) that five days later the firm were spotted on a sloping garage roof with no control measures in place to prevent the worker from falling. A second Prohibition Notice was issued by HSE

Magistrates were told that nobody was injured but the risk of falling was significant and near-identical failings less than a week after the first unsafe practice was identified was “wholly irresponsible”.

“Willful ignorance” of the dangers of working at height

Chohan Builders (West Midlands) Ltd, of West Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne,  was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £981 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Gareth Langston said:

“Work at height continues to be a key area for HSE, mainly because unsafe practices while carrying out this type of work continue to cause death and major injury.

This company was issued with two Prohibition Notices for essentially the same thing less than a week apart. Luckily, no-one was hurt, but this kind of repeated behavior, which shows a willful ignorance of the dangers of working at height, has to be brought before the court.”

 

(source)

 

Here at Total Access we are leading suppliers in both Working at Height safety training and Working at Height equipment.

 

Our Training department offer a Rooftop Safety training course.

Our Rooftop Safety Training provides delegates with detailed knowledge of rooftop safety issues and enables them to identify hazards and reduce the risks of working on a rooftop with unprotected edges by selecting the correct personal protective equipment and the correct methods of working e.g. fall arrest or fall restraint.

Please click on the image below to find out more information about this and other working at height courses.

 

Our Equipment department also offers a wide range of working at height equipment including a specifically designed Rooftop Safety Worker Kit,

The rooftop safety worker kit includes 2 lanyards meaning the kit can be used for both fall restraint and fall arrest.

 

Training is essential before use. If training is required please contact our Training Department for further information.

 

For more information or a price please contact our Equipment Sales Team at sales@totalaccess.co.uk or alternatively you can order this kit from our online store.

Please click on the image below to find out more information about this and other working at height equipment.