Two workers have sustained serious injuries after falling from a tower scaffold while working for Rooffabs Direct Limited.
The sole director of the company, Paul McMahon, was working with two employees in Prestwich to install a signage at retail premises. During the afternoon, Paul McMahon left the site, and the tower scaffold being used moved away from the building. This led to the two employees falling around two metres which caused fractures to their legs and ankles.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident and found that there had been several failings. The person that erected the tower scaffolding did not have the adequate training, and there were no guard rails or outriggers when the accident took place. The incident was also not reported by the company under the by the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Regulations SI 2013/1471.
Rooffabs Direct Limited was fined £20,000 after pleading guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Regulations SI 2013/1471.
Paul McMahon also pleaded guilty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Regulations SI 2013/1471. For this he was ordered to complete 100 hours community service, pay £500 compensation to each of the injured employees and costs of £10000.
The HSE inspector at the trial said:
"Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities and severe injuries in this country. The risks associated with work at height are well known. This incident could so easily have been avoided by having a suitably trained person put up the tower scaffold and ensuring that the required guardrails and outriggers were in place."
