In a recent case of an employee’s accident at a worksite, a company as well as its supervising director were fined, in addition to the slapping of prosecution costs and victim surcharge against them.
The accident occurred in July 2007 when a worker of Burnley-based Webber Trading Ltd fell from a height of seven meters while working on the renovation of a rooftop at Shoe City, Gateshead.
It was found that the building owners gave Webber the contract for renovation of their rooftop and covering of their plastic rooflights with steel sheets. Lucasz Czuba of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, an employee of Weber, was engaged in working on the roof when he accidentally stepped on a rooflight that was not properly secured. The light gave way and Czuba fell seven metres down to the floor, suffering grievous injuries.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Webber before Gateshead Magistrates Court, where the company pleaded guilty to the charges of breach of section 2(1) as well as section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974. The guilt plea was accepted by the Court and the company was fined 6,000 pounds along with 2,838.20 pounds as costs, and an additional 15 pounds as victim surcharge.
Further, the company director, Jeffrey Robinson, who was supervising the workers when the accident took place, was also found guilty of negligence under the same sections of the Act, as was the company. He too admitted his liability and he was fined 1,000 pounds along with costs of 200 pounds, and victim surcharge of 15 pounds.
Speaking after the court’s ruling, HSE Inspector Martin Smith disclosed that in the year 2007-08, more than half of the deaths in the construction industry took place at sites undergoing repair, maintenance and renovation. He added that more than 30 of these deaths were attributable to falling from heights.
Smith pointed out that in the present case, the accident could have been avoided if the employer was cautious enough to provide the basic safety measures at the worksite, especially with respect to the workers working at heights.
It is a requirement to undertake a suitable and sufficient risk assessment on all work undertaken where there is a risk of injury as a result of a fall from height; Working at Height Training will benefit organisations in helping to minimise the risks of work at height and bring work procedures up to date with the requirements of new legislation.
