SF Admin
Administrator
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2009
- Messages
- 7,160
- Reaction score
- 4
THIS ASTONISHING picture of a worker balancing on slates landed a roofing firm with a £10,000 fine.
The employee at M&D Roof Coatings Ltd in Sale was seen power washing the roof without any safety precautions to stop him falling to the ground.
Magistrates in Runcorn were told the worker was photographed on the roof of the semi-detached house in Lymm last May.
The prosecution was brought by the Health and Safety Executive following a routine inspection.
The company, of Marsland Road, was found guilty of breaching safety regulations relating to working at height.
The firm was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £7,269.
HSE Inspector John Ellis said:"It's incredible that workers were expected to power wash a roof while standing on it, without any scaffolding or edge protection to stop them falling.
"Working on a roof without safety precautions is dangerous enough, but the risk of falling was increased by the fact that moss and other detritus were being washed off the roof.
"One slip and the worker would have fallen to the ground, resulting in him being seriously injured or killed.
"Falls from height are among the biggest causes of workplace deaths in the UK. Roofing firms should therefore ensure they have safe systems of work in place to protect their employees and others."
Last year 12 workers died and more than 4,000 suffered major injuries as a result of falls from height.
Noone from M&D Coatings could be contacted for a comment.
Source: Manchester Evening News
The employee at M&D Roof Coatings Ltd in Sale was seen power washing the roof without any safety precautions to stop him falling to the ground.
Magistrates in Runcorn were told the worker was photographed on the roof of the semi-detached house in Lymm last May.
The prosecution was brought by the Health and Safety Executive following a routine inspection.
The company, of Marsland Road, was found guilty of breaching safety regulations relating to working at height.
The firm was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £7,269.
HSE Inspector John Ellis said:"It's incredible that workers were expected to power wash a roof while standing on it, without any scaffolding or edge protection to stop them falling.
"Working on a roof without safety precautions is dangerous enough, but the risk of falling was increased by the fact that moss and other detritus were being washed off the roof.
"One slip and the worker would have fallen to the ground, resulting in him being seriously injured or killed.
"Falls from height are among the biggest causes of workplace deaths in the UK. Roofing firms should therefore ensure they have safe systems of work in place to protect their employees and others."
Last year 12 workers died and more than 4,000 suffered major injuries as a result of falls from height.
Noone from M&D Coatings could be contacted for a comment.
Source: Manchester Evening News
