A scaffolding firm in Dartford have been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive after one of their workers was injured. Mr James Froud fell while working on a fragile roof and suffered terrible injuries as a result. The 22 year old spent ten days in hospital and many months off work so he could recover. The injured man had to use crutches and wear a back brace during his recovery process and this meant he was unable to return to work for an extended period of time.

The accident happened in October 2011 at the Siemens Windpower Compound. The hearing took place at Canterbury Magistrates Court on October 23 where the company director and the firm were both fined after pleading guilty to breaching four separate sections of the Work at Height Regulations. London and South Scaffolding were fined £10,000 with an additional £1,000 in costs while Gary Peck was fined £15,000 and must pay £2,000 in costs.

The Health and Safety Executive investigation that took place after the incident discovered some alarming findings. The most alarming was the fact that the company along with the company director Gary Peck were aware of the fragile roof and the skylights. Despite having this information they still failed to ensure that safety measures were put into action to prevent falls. They should have provided equipment to prevent falls and reduce risks such as an elevated platform or staging with rails.

Falls From Height are the Biggest Workplace Killers

The construction industry is well aware of the dangers when working at height. According to the statistics from the HSE the falls are the biggest contributor to fatalities in the workplace. For this reason it is necessary to take the right steps to reduce the risks for all employees. If this is not the case the HSE will prosecute those responsible such as the company and the directors of the company.

Your health and safety consultants will be more than capable of helping you to plan and evaluate current safety measures when working at height. It’s a good idea to examine your current policy and an audit can help you to establish what you are doing right and what needs some improvements to ensure you are complying with the law.

Another health and safety service that is worth using is the competent person service. Not every construction firm and owner has the time to dedicate to monitoring and assessing as well as introducing new safety policies. A competent person comes ready trained with the necessary skills and works in your company bringing everything up to date.

All works at height have to be planned carefully and all hazards noted and worked around. A risk assessment and the introduction of safety measures can save lives and reduce the chances of injuries and accidents occurring. Talk to our team about suitable services for your business by filling in our online form and we will be in touch shortly.

About David Cant

David Cant is a Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner extraordinaire. He has a wealth of Industry experience and is the MD of Veritas Consulting. David also Blogs about Health and Safety here Health and Safety Consultants

His aim is to flavour Health and Safety with integrity, served with a side of humour You can find David on - Twitter and Google also Linkedin