A company has been fined £133,000 and ordered to pay £8,816 in costs after a worker fell through a roof, seriously injuring themselves. The roof caved in, not being strong enough to support him and with no other support to help, the worker fell to the floor 10 metres below, suffering severe injuries and requiring an extended period in hospital to recover.
HSE’s investigation determined that safety measures such as barriers, netting or access equipment were not in place and that the employer failed to take appropriate precautions to ensure the safety of workers, and others affected by the work, when working on the roof.
Working at height remains one of the biggest causes of fatalities and major injuries. Common cases include falls from ladders and through fragile surfaces. Measures that could have been taken to avoid this accident such as avoiding working from the roof in the first place, ensuring all fragile surfaces were protected and having netting in place could have stopped this accident occurring or having such serious consequences.
If you are going to be conducting work at height then conduct a risk assessment for the activity by splitting the work up into its individual tasks, determine what hazards need to be protected against for each task , determine how this can be done and then ensure the people doing it are suitably trained to conduct the work safely. Keep the assessment for evidence and reference.
A manufacturing company has also been fined £60,000 and ordered to pay £5,406.31 in costs after a steel pallet weighing 800kg landed on an employee, leaving him permanently disabled with their lower right leg and toes on their left foot amputated.
HSE’s investigation determined that the pallet had not been secured onto the lifting chains of the overhead crane before being removed from the concrete cast. This meant the pallet was not supported whilst being moved.
The employer failed to consistently implement a system of work to ensure the pallet could be removed safely or provide proper training (information or instruction) on how to remove the pallet safely.
To avoid these types of accidents, provide the correct instruction and implement safe working procedures. Do not leave employees to work out their own methods of completing the activities and tasks, provide them with suitable training and provide them with the correct equipment, so that they work safely, every time.
Ensuring Compliance with Health and Safety Laws in 2025
To avoid the possibility of prosecution as above, ensure your business do not fall foul of health and safety law in 2025.
- Conduct risk assessments as and when required (prior to undertaking activities).
- Provide training regarding the risks involved and how to manage them.
- Supervise risk management, as necessary, until competence is demonstrated.
- Formally review risk assessments and associated safe systems of work, regularly.
- Update training provided (toolbox talks, in-house or external formal training).
- Keep / update records of all the above processes.
If you need help with any health & safety related issue do not hesitate to contact your health & safety consultancy. We can provide advice / assistance with:
- Your legal requirements with regards to safety and health.
- The management of health and safety – generally or specific to business activity.
- The risk assessment process and how to conduct and record risk assessments
- Required conduct – as per legal requirements to meet when managing an activity.
- Required health surveillance – as per the activity.
- How to evidence due diligence conducted.
- Training needs and how they can be met (provided and recorded).