Roofer prosecuted for health and safety violations
A roofer in Wirral is fined for safety violations. The roofer allowed one of his labourers to use a gas burner on the roof of a house. This was done without any height safety measures in place. The worker could have fallen. The incident was caught on camera, where one can see the worker along with another person on the roof five metres above ground without any safety measures while working on the roof edge.
The HSE investigated the photography and the roofer during health and safety audits. The incident occurred in 2011, and the case has finally been heard in the Wirral court. An inspector actually saw the two men on the roof. This is what launched a further investigation. The health and safety inspector ordered the workers off the roof immediately before filing a complaint. The workers did have a ladder that was resting against the gutter, but no one was on it and no other edging was used to make certain the workers would remain safe during their work. The roofer was found guilty of a few safety breaches such as not using scaffolding that was in his van.
The roofer has been fined £2,000 and must pay £600 in other costs. In construction such as roofing, a fall from heights can change a worker’s life forever. It is the reason the safety rules exist when it comes to heights and having proper protection against any potential fall or other risk.
