In court

Football club fined after volunteer’s death from roof fall

Alison Fava

St Albans Football Club has been fined after the death of a volunteer who fell through a fragile roof.

Luton Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 18 July 2017, the 71-year-old volunteer at St Albans City Football and Athletic Club Limited was fatally injured after he fell through fragile roof sheeting onto terrace steps below.

The HSE’s investigation found that St Albans City Football and Athletic Club Ltd had failed to ensure a suitable system was in place to authorise certain work. It was also found that inadequate supervision, together with volunteers being provided with keys to gain uncontrolled entry to the football ground, resulted in access to the roof to carry out repairs in an unsafe manner.

St Albans City Football and Athletic Club Ltd, of Victoria Street, St Albans pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £1,000 and with costs of £1,000.

After the hearing HSE Inspector Sandra Dias said: “This was a tragic and wholly avoidable fatality caused by the failure of the club in its duty of care towards volunteers. Employers who use volunteers have to ensure their safety, the same as if they were a paid employee.”

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