Roofing firm fined over safety breach

A local firm has been fined for safety breaches after a worker fell and fractured his skull.  The firm, based in Malton, was replacing roof lights at a premises in Elvington, York.  The injured worker slipped and fell some 7 metres through an inner roof sheet and sustained severe injuries.  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated and discovered there was no risk assessment in place, and no precautions had been taken to prevent falls from the edge of the roof or through fragile elements of the roof.

Mitchell Roofing Limited of Derwent Road, Malton was found guilty of health and safety offences and was fined £10,000 with £1,355 costs by York Magistrates Court.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Julian Franklin commented:-

“Basic precautions for roof work and better planning of the job should have been applied.  Even short duration work on fragile roofs should be properly assessed and managed”.