Don't look down
An engineering company in Tyne and Wear was fined £20,000 after a worker fractured his pelvis and suffered internal injuries after falling through a petrol station forecourt canopy, whilst he was replacing the guttering.
An engineering company in Tyne and Wear was fined £20,000 after a worker fractured his pelvis and suffered internal injuries after falling through a petrol station forecourt canopy, whilst he was replacing the guttering.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that no risk assessment or method statement was carried out prior to the task. Had it been, this would have identified the need for effective control measures to prevent employees falling from the edge of the canopy, or through the exposed fragile roof surface.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 at Gateshead Magistrates’ Court on 12 October 2022. They were fined £20,000, with £7,825 costs and a victim surcharge of £190.
Speaking after the hearing, the HSE Inspector commented this was an incident which could have been easily avoided.
This case emphasises the importance of taking the time to conduct a suitable and sufficient risk assessment (s3 The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999) and using that assessment to ensure that the proper planning, supervision of and the carrying out of that work is conducted safely.
This will be applicable to all our clients who are employers and/or have contracted services on site. Working at Height will always require a risk assessment, prior to any work being undertaken, whether that work be on a ladder, a roof or a high-rise building. We have a large portfolio of clients to whom this will be directly applicable, from schools to retail businesses, to construction companies. If you have any questions, or have had contact from the HSE in relation to an incident or a notice, please get in touch with us.
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