After a self-employed general builder fell seven metres onto a concrete floor at a site in Sheffield, A construction company had been sentenced for breaching safety requirements.
Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard that on the 11th April 2018, Under the control of Clear Property Solutions Limited, the worker had just finished installing a flat rubber roof on a dormer extension at the rear of the domestic property in Abbeydale Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire. He fell onto the concrete floor below as a result of climbing down an untied unsecured folding ladder from the flat roof to the scaffolding, when the ladder slipped. The 34-year-old builder sustained a fractured skull, resulting in swelling and bleeding on the brain, as well as shattered heels as a result of the incident.
Health and Safety Executive led an investigation that found that Clear Property Solutions (SY) Ltd had completed any risk assessments or method statements or construction phase plan for that type of work. As well as this, the operatives were not trained in work at height.
Pleading guilty to contravening Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, Clear Property Solutions (SY) Ltd of John Street, Sheffield were fined £30,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1302.60 in costs.
Stuart Whitesmith commented saying: ” This incident could have been so easily avoided by simply carrying out the correct control measures and safe working practises. In this case the builder suffered life-threatening injuries which could have been avoided by installing guardrails around the perimeter of the flat roof, with a gate and secured ladder access.”
