Basic safety precautions could have saved PK & IF Cobley, £104,000
Andrew Bannister had been employed at PK & IF Cobley for the last 15 years. In August 2012, Andrew was sent to repair cracks in a roof at a farm located in Great Poultney, Leicestershire. He was sent up on the roof without installing any supporting structure by which he could support himself or which could, in the event of a mishap, help him support himself and prevent his fall.
On July 15th 2015, the Leicester Crown Court was told the Andrew was sent up on the roof, despite his apprehensions. As an employee, he was instructed to get up to the roof and carry out the repair work.
What followed next, was certainly not surprising. While trying to carry out the repair work, as per his instructions, he fell 10 metres through the roof and onto a concrete floor. The fall broke three of his ribs, his back and his neck. Miraculously he did not die.
The Leicester Crown Court found PK & IF Cobley in breach of Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations.
Having heard the case the appellate authority was relieved to hear that the man did not die from his injuries. The repair work on the roof was obviously dangerous and PK & IF Cobley should have done its due diligence of putting up a safe structure before sending its employees on top to repair the frail roof. He ordered that PK & IF Cobley pay a fine of £75,000 as well as £29,351 in prosecution costs.
References:
http://www.healthandsafetyatwork.com/hsw/work-at-height/pk-if-cobley-bannister-roof-fall
On July 15th 2015, the Leicester Crown Court was told the Andrew was sent up on the roof, despite his apprehensions. As an employee, he was instructed to get up to the roof and carry out the repair work.
What followed next, was certainly not surprising. While trying to carry out the repair work, as per his instructions, he fell 10 metres through the roof and onto a concrete floor. The fall broke three of his ribs, his back and his neck. Miraculously he did not die.
The Leicester Crown Court found PK & IF Cobley in breach of Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations.
Having heard the case the appellate authority was relieved to hear that the man did not die from his injuries. The repair work on the roof was obviously dangerous and PK & IF Cobley should have done its due diligence of putting up a safe structure before sending its employees on top to repair the frail roof. He ordered that PK & IF Cobley pay a fine of £75,000 as well as £29,351 in prosecution costs.
References:
http://www.healthandsafetyatwork.com/hsw/work-at-height/pk-if-cobley-bannister-roof-fall
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