Northern Structures Ltd was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after a worker fell through a roof and suffered a fractured spine.
The employee was removing asbestos cement roof sheets from a timber frame building when he fell through one of the sheets and onto the ground four metres below.
The court found that, while it was necessary for the worker to access the fixings from above, the job could have been done using a scissor lift. Therefore, there was no need for the worker to be on the roof in the first place.
Prohibition Notices were also served on both Northern Structures Ltd and the farm owner during an investigation by the HSE.
The case acts as a reminder that working at height is a major cause of fatalities and life-changing injuries in agriculture. It also highlights the potential consequences for employers of not following the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
You can limit the risk to yourself and others by following these key messaging when working at height:
- Avoid work at height where you can; if not use suitable work equipment or other measures to prevent falls
- Work to remove or replace fragile roofing materials should be done from underneath the roof using suitable access equipment such as a scissor lift (mobile elevating work platform)
- Roof work and work involving fragile materials is specialist work and is best left to professional contractors
- Farms should check the work has been planned and workers on site are following the plan
More detailed guidance can be accessed for free on the HSE website.