Roofing company fined £16,650 after employee fell through skylight opening
A Northampton roofing company has been fined £16,650 after an employee suffered serious injuries when he fell through a skylight opening.
Ryan Robinson, 31, was working for Kingsley Roofing Contractors Limited to recover a flat roof of single-storey extension at a domestic property on Sywell Road in Northampton.
Covers that had been installed over two large skylight openings had to be removed as part of preparation. Mr Robinson fell through one of these openings whilst removing material from the other, falling over three metres to the ground. His injuries required surgery and long-term treatment.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Kingsley Roofing Contractors Limited failed to properly plan work at height activities and implement measures that would have prevented their employees from falling through the skylight openings.
Read more on HSE website.
Research highlights lack of drink-driving education
Some businesses are putting other motorists’ lives at risk on the roads by failing to ensure their drivers are fully aware of the dangers of drink-driving, according to new research.
Worryingly, the survey, conducted by the UK’s leading road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, revealed a careless approach in the festive period, when there is typically a spike in drink-driving offences. With more than half (59%) of businesses expecting some of their employees to drive for work the day after their Christmas party, the chance of a drink-driving incident occurring is considerably higher.
Despite the risk, only one in five (19%) companies test their business drivers for alcohol in their system daily over the festive period. On top of this, almost half (48%) of firms fail to provide any drink-driving awareness training to staff at this time of year, with 35% waiting until a drink-driving incident has occurred before taking any action.
For more on the research visit the HSM website.
Much loved man lost his life ‘due to cost of 50 pence screw’ say family
The family of a much loved man from Cumbria have spoken of their anger that his life was worth less than “the cost of a 50 pence screw”.
Alban Watts was killed while working for egg producer Bell Mount Farming Limited at its site in Great Salkeld in Penrith on 11 January 2023. The 61-year-old, who lived in the village of Blencow, died after being strangled, when his clothes became entangled in a hen feeding system at the farm.
Speaking after the company was fined £50,000, his brother Martin and sister Louise Robinson spoke of their sadness and anger at his death.
“Losing Alban has taken a part of our trio, without him we are an incomplete unit,” the siblings said.
“Not a day goes by where he is not missed.
“Alban worked at Bell Mount for 12 years and he enjoyed his job. But it’s taken the life of a member of our family for them to do their job.
“We are angry that his life was worth less than a 50p screw to a multi-million pound company. Such a small item could have saved his life. You can’t replace a person who meant so much to us.”
Visit the HSE website to read more.
Fine for company after man seriously injured at wind farm
A wind farm management services company has been fined £80,000 after a worker was seriously injured by an electrical flashover.
Natural Power Services Limited had sent the then 38-year-old to carry out maintenance work in an electrical substation within the Tom Nan Clach Wind Farm, near Inverness on 23rd June 2020. His injuries resulted in him sustained life-changing injuries that have required multiple surgeries.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the incident happened following a departure from the prepared switching programme. This meant work was allowed to be carried out on one of the two electrical cabinets while the other remained live, allowing part of the electrical system to be energised during the maintenance work.
The HSE investigation found that had the initial switching programme prepared by Natural Power Services Limited been correctly followed, the incident would not have occurred. The company did not have a suitable system or process in place to check or review switching programmes to ensure that the procedures were correctly observed at all times, or to approve any changes to the initial switching programmes.
Learn more on the HSE website.
To keep up to date with the latest health & safety news and advice, follow us on social media: