Work at height – life changing injuries from a fall

Another workplace accident involving a fall from height. In this case, a Southampton worker suffered life-changing injuries after he fell five metres through a hole in a South East London church roof while it was being repaired. The 58 year old father of three (AS) sustained a collapsed lung, smashed pelvis and head injuries in the fall in October 2011. The prosecution cost the Company about £20,000.

Following investigation, the HSE prosecuted NRC for serious safety failings. The Magistrates’ Court heard that AS was part of a four-strong team (which included the company’s director) that was replacing the church roof owing to a series of leaks. The job was about three-quarters completed when the incident happened. AS was standing on a lightweight staging board while grinding off bolts, working from the roof ridge down toward the gutter and sliding the asbestos cement sheets down to labourers to lift onto a forklift truck. As the work progressed, one of the labourers heard a loud bang and turned to see that AS had fallen through the roof opening to the hall floor below and that a length of staging board was also on the floor.

AS spent two months in hospital and has had a subsequent operation on his lungs and will need a hip replacement. He is also likely to suffer long-term arthritis and it is unlikely that he will work again.
The HSE served an enforcement notice on NRC immediately after the incident to further work until suitable safety measures were in place. The HSE investigation showed the firm had failed to install sufficient safeguards to protect workers from falling or to mitigate the effect of a fall. Measures could have included scaffolding around the elevations and underneath the working area, and a safe working platform able to support the weight of the workers and fitted with guard rails.
NRC was fined £8,600 (with costs of £11,280) after admitting to breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
After the case, HSE Inspector Wendy Garnett said:

Mr AS suffered life-threatening injuries in this fall and will have to live with the disabling consequences. However, his fall could have been avoided had NRC followed standard industry practice.

Work at height is a major cause of workplace deaths and serious injury. The firm should have been fully aware of its duties and responsibilities to the labourers before starting the roof replacement works. But Nationwide neglected to put in place sufficient protective measures to guard against falls.

This is not acceptable when you consider the devastating effects that a fall has on the lives of workers and their families. Firms of all sizes need to be aware of their duties to identify the risks of working at height and to take action to manage those risks.