A roofing contractor has been given an eight-month prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered to complete 200 hours of community service for safety breaches after workers were left at risk of falling from unprotected roof edges. The breaches had been noticed by health and safety staff who saw the unsafe scaffolding from their office window.
Leeds Crown Court heard that in November 2015 C Smith Roofing was contracted to carry out repairs on the roof of a Guest House in Northallerton. Although scaffolding was erected along the full length of the front of the property, the company did not take into account the presence of a conservatory at the rear, which meant that only a partial scaffold was constructed. This left approximately two thirds of the rear roof edge unprotected.
In February 2016 nearby health and safety risk managers at North Yorkshire County Council had concerns about the safety of two workers on the roof as there were inadequate fall measures in place. The two workers under the control of Mr Smith were at risk of falling seven metres from the unprotected edge. Mr Smith pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations SI 2005/735. In addition to the sentence, he was ordered to pay £5800 costs.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector Tania Shiffer commented: "Work at height, such as roof work, is a high-risk activity that accounts for a high proportion of workplace serious injuries and fatalities each year." She went on to say that this is "a good example of HSE working closely with local authority partners."
