Working at Height competency

Business failed to check contractor competent to carry out the work safely

R&J (Builders Hardware) Ltd has been sentenced after a man fell through the roof of the company warehouse in Blackburn.

A 44-year-old contractor was engaged to carry out roof repairs but the company failed to check he was competent to carry out the work safely before he fell through a roof light in September 2010.

Preston Crown Court was told the workman fell approximately 6m to the warehouse floor below and sustained two broken wrists, a broken back and an injury in his ankle. He has a metal plate inserted in his back and the injuries to his wrists are likely to affect him for the rest of his life.

HSE investigators found the company failed to check that the contractor was competent to carry out the work on their roof. The company allowed him to walk across the fragile roof without any safety measures in place to stop him falling.

Clients should know how contractors intend to carry out work on roof

R&J (Builders Hardware) Ltd was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay costs of £20,000 after pleading guilty to a breach of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 on 10 October 2013.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Stuart Kitchingman said:

“This incident resulted in a worker sustaining injuries to his back and wrists that will affect him for the rest of his life because R&J failed to ensure that he was competent to carry out the work safely.

This case should act as a warning to companies that they can’t just hire a contractor to do a job without checking that they are competent. Firms need to make sure their contractors are aware of fragile roofs and ensure they take adequate measures to prevent falls from or through them.

Companies should make sure that they find out how contractors intend to carry out work on their roofs and take specialist advice if they’re not sure whether the proposed method of work is safe.”

Source HSE

Lighthouse Comments: The CDM regulations 2007 ensure that all staff are competent before carrying out work. The client must ensure only competent contractors are appointed. Get real advice as to what is competent now.