Firm fined £14,400 after workers risk lives on roof

Danger: firm fined after workers put at risk

Nelson-based KML (Properties) Ltd were working on a former aerospace plant when Health and Safety Executive inspectors received a complaint.

When inspectors visited the site, they found a worker stripping slates from a fragile roof without any safety measures in place to prevent a fall, or mitigate any potential life-threatening effects as a result of such a fall.

Appearing at Burnley Magistrates’ Court the company, of Brunswick Street, Nelson, admitted breaching Work at Height Regulations and was fined £10,400. It also pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and was fined £2,000 for each.

These further breaches were for failing to plan the work being undertaken and to provide adequate welfare facilities for workers on the site.

HSE inspector Jacqueline Western, who investigated the case, said: “These breaches of health and safety legislation were entirely preventable.

“Falls through fragile roofs are a common cause of work-related death or personal injury.”

45% of deaths on construction sites in Britain last year were as a result of falls from height and nearly 600 workers suffered major injuries as a result of such falls.

“Poor welfare facilities can cause significant health issues for workers,” she added.

“In this case, the concern for operatives was exposure to biological hazard from bird droppings, rat infestation and contamination of the site.”