A London-based company has admitted failing to properly supervise and communicate with its employees prior to an incident in which a worker fell through a rooflight.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that the incident took place at Futon Ltd’s factory in Tottenham on 9 October 2009. An employee, who wishes not to be named, was clearing leaves from the roof when he fell through a fragile rooflight.
Futon Ltd has an on-call contractor to carry out roof maintenance but on this occasion one of its own staff decided to do the work. He accessed the roof by stepping inside a man-riding cage, which was lifted by a type of forklift truck known as a reach truck, despite the cage not being properly secured. A sticker on the vehicle also clearly warned that it was not suitable for lifting or lowering people.
As the worker walked across the roof he stepped on a rooflight, which gave way. He fell 6.5 metres to the warehouse floor after hitting fluorescent roof lighting on the way down. He sustained two minor fractures to his spine and was unable to return to work for two months owing to his injuries.
The HSE’s investigation found that no risk assessment had been carried out before the work began and, as a result, no suitable work-at-height equipment was provided. The company failed to properly monitor its staff to ensure the work was carried out safely by a competent person. There was also no signage to warn that the building had a fragile roof. The company subsequently received a Prohibition Notice requiring it to stop using the forklift truck to lift people.
Futon Ltd appeared in court on 14 March and pleaded guilty to breaching s2(1) of the HSWA 1974. It was fined £6000 and ordered to pay £14,635 in costs.
In mitigation, the firm said it had entered an early guilty plea and had no previous convictions. It now holds regular safety meetings and ensures that all work at height is properly monitored and supervised. It has also installed signs to warn about the fragile roof.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Jack Wilby said: “This man was extremely fortunate not to have been killed, or more seriously injured as a result of his fall.
“It was a poorly-managed activity that could and should have been left to the professionals, as Futon Limited was only too aware and, as such, the incident was entirely preventable.
“I hope [the] hearing serves as a further reminder of the risks posed by working at height, especially when working on, or near, fragile roofs with skylights.”
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