Firms fined £200k after worker fell through roof

Two firms were fined over £200,000 after an employee of a construction company was injured falling through a roof onto a concrete floor at a company in Lincoln.

Lincoln Magistrates’ Court heard how on January 23, 2018 an employee of Italian construction company Zamperoni F.lli srl was refurbishing a shed structure at casting company Bifrangi UK, Lincoln at Tower Works on Spa Road (Stamp End).

The man was working on the roof when he stepped backwards from metal sheeting he was standing on and onto a fragile roof light.

The plastic material broke under his weight and he fell 5.44 metres to the ground. He sustained two broken arms and three broken ribs.

Bifrangi manufacture components for the agricultural, off-highway, marine, power generation and mining sectors.

Bifrangi UK of Shardlow Works, Grange Mill Lane, Sheffield pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act. The firm was fined £140,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,607.

Zamperoni F.lli srl of Via Strada Muson, 17-31011 Asolo (TV) Italy was not present in court, but in its absence was fined £54,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,240.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed both companies failed to risk assess and plan all aspects of the construction work on site.

They also failed to ensure the risks from the fragile roof lights were adequately controlled.

It was also deemed that both companies failed to ensure there was adequate safe access onto the roof of the shed.

There was also inadequate supervision and management checks throughout the work. The companies also failed to act on the previous instances of unsafe work to ensure safety.

HSE inspector Martin Giles said: “Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities in this country and the risks associated with working at height are well known.

“In this case the use of simple protective measures to prevent falls from and through the fragile roof light would have prevented the injury to this worker. Contractors working in host employers’ premises require adequate supervision and controls to ensure that they are working safely.”

SUBSCRIBE to Business Week, the new email newsletter from The Lincolnite and Lincolnshire Reporter, bringing you weekly features, analysis and a news roundup of the top stories by Stonebow Media. Sign up free to receive it every Thursday morning in your in
box. We won’t spam you or share your details with third parties, we promise!