A builder from Leicestershire has been fined for safety failings after a sub-contractor fell through a fragile roof light, breaking his neck and arm.
James Beeston, who is self-employed, had been hired to complete minor building repairs at a factory in Bagworth, Leicestershire, with part of his job being to replace some Perspex roof lights at the site.
Sub-contractor Kline Wilkins, also from Leicestershire, was helping Mr Beeston to fix the lights with strips of roof sheeting. He was using a jig, and was kneeling on a board over one of the lights to try and get the jig to work. As Mr Beeston came round to show Mr Wilkins what to do, he moved out of the way and fell through a roof light that was behind him, dropping three metres to the concrete floor below.
Mr Wilkins suffered a fractured neck and right arm as well as soft tissue damage to his kidneys and hip. He was airlifted to hospital and still hasn’t returned to work, although he does hope to do so within the next couple of months.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched an investigation into the incident, which happened on 7th May 2013, found that Mr Beeston had provided no suitable safety measures to prevent an accident of this nature from occurring.
James Beeston pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined £3,000.
Tony Mitchell, a HSE inspector, said after the hearing: “Mr Wilkins is lucky to be alive as work at height on fragile roofs is a significant cause of fatal incidents. The risks are widely known in the construction industry, as are the measures needed to reduce those risks.
“Companies or individuals, such as Mr Beeston, who don’t provide a safe system of work or fail to comply with the required standard can expect to be brought before the courts.”
