May 13, 2019 1.19 pm This story is over 58 months old

Company fined after worker falls through roof

He fell through the roof five metres to the concrete floor
Where the worker fell through.

A Lincolnshire construction company has been fined in court after one of its workers fell through the roof and broke his back.

Foundations and Buildings Ltd, Louth, was sentenced in Boston Magistrates’ Court over its failings to provide a safe working environment.

The court heard how on May 2, 2017 an employee was building the roof of a new agricultural building when he fell five metres through the roof onto the concrete floor.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that the system used to control risks from work at height was “fundamentally unsuitable.”

It relied on workers wearing harnesses to control the risk of falling when HSE say it would have been better to use edge protection or nets.

The investigation determined that the use of harnesses weren’t enforced by the company.

Foundations and Buildings Limited has been fined £30,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4814.04

HSE inspector Roy Poulter speaking after the case said: “Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers in the safe system of working.

“If a suitable safe system of work had been in place prior to the incident, the serious injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented.”