Firm fined after roofer falls through skylight
A company has been fined £20,000 after one of its staff was seriously injured falling through a roof.
Hightech Roofing N/W Ltd, of Failsworth in Greater Manchester, admitted breaching health and safety laws.
The worker fell 15ft (4.8m) through a roof in Blackburn, fracturing vertebrae and breaking his foot and ankle.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) probe found the firm had not put boards on the roof to prevent workers putting their feet through skylights.
HSE inspector Sam Eves said: "This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices."
The worker used boards for most the work on the roof but there was no board over the roof light, through which the 24-year-old fell.
The inspector added the company had "also failed to assess the specific risks arising from the need to work on or over fragile surfaces, and failed to consider risks arising from employees working in proximity to the edge of the roof".
The company admitted breaching Regulation 4 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
It was also ordered to pay £5,858.46 costs at Preston Magistrates Court.
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