A roofing contractor has been sentenced after an unpaid casual worker sustained injuries caused by a fall through a skylight during a renovation of an old asbestos cement roof.
Plymouth Magistrates’ Court heard that on 23 October 2018, the labourer, was directed by Ian Davey (trading as Exe Fibreglass) to cut fibreglass for the roof of the property. Once the fibreglass was cut, the labourer made their way onto the roof to watch the fitting by Mr Davey and another worker. He treaded on a fragile skylight, which caved in, as a result he fell five and a half metres to the floor below. He sustained multiple fractures to his hand and wrist, which needed surgical wiring to recover, and fractures to his ribs.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed a lack of adequate planning of the work. There was insufficient training or experience in the supervision of others working at height. No preventative safety measures had been taken for the skylights such as netting, crawl boards or safety harnesses in operation.
Ian Davey trading as Exe Fibreglass of Beacon Hill, Exmouth pleaded guilty to breaching Section 9(2) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. He was given a 12-month community order, which consists of 80 hours of unpaid work, and has been ordered to pay costs of £3,000.