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15 August 2006 - HSE Warns Companies to
Check Work at Height Guidance
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The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a warning to companies to
make sure their employees are fully informed about using safe working practices
whilst working at height.
The warning follows the prosecution of D A Carter Ltd from Burscough who were
fined £7,500 and ordered to pay £5,000 costs after an employee died after
falling 6 metres from a warehouse roof onto a concrete floor.
D A Carter Limited pleaded guilty to an offence under Section 2(1) of the
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 in that they did not take reasonably
practicable, suitable and effective measures to prevent anyone falling from
height during work on a fragile roof at Winnington Warehousing Limited in
Northwich.
Employee Mr Michael Alty climbed up a ladder to replace translucent lights on
a roof made from asbestos cement sheets. The asbestos sheet gave way and
he fell approximately 6m to the concrete floor below.
Mr Alty was taken to Leighton Hospital but later transferred to the Royal
Staffordshire Infirmary where he later died.
It was found that the company had not completed a risk assessment for the work
and had failed to provide suitable and sufficient measures to prevent falls.
Access to the roof lights was achieved by walking across the asbestos cement
roof.
Sarah Wadham, HSE Construction Inspector commented:
"It is essential that companies carry out a risk assessment before any
work at height to minimise the possibility of an incident.
"Falls are preventable when work is planned properly, the risks are
accurately assessed, and the correct equipment is used.
This was an unnecessary loss of a young man's life."
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