Health and safety audit, dental practice in court
A Sheffield dental office is being fined due to safety issues. A receptionist fell approximately three metres through a light. She was on her lunch break on the flat roof when she fell through the roof light. The employee was 40 at the time of the incident. A two-week trial has been conducted wherein the court heard about the case. The woman sat on the domed roof light. She did not realise it was a fragile light. The plastic gave way causing her to fall on her back hurting her neck, shoulder, and knee. She was also hospitalised.
The HSE was brought in for health and safety audits of the incident to find if the company had any negligence in terms of the accident. After investigating the scene, it was decided that prosecution would be necessary. Five other workers used the roof and that meant that five other workers risked falling through the light. The incident happened in 2009, during which time health and safety checks were conducted.
The key to the roof was left hanging near the locked door allowing anyone access to the roof. Four years earlier it appears there were risk assessments conducted by a consultant of safety and health. The consultant said the light could be an issue and therefore no roof access should be granted. Signs with “no entry” also needed to be hung. This did not occur, resulting in the dental practice ultimately being responsible for the incident.
