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Taylor Pearson Construction Limited was the principal contractor building a new retail unit at The Carlton Centre on Outer Circle Road. The company sub-contracted roof cladding work to Roofwise (Bourne) Limited, which in turn engaged a sub-contract labour team of its own.
On 24 May 2011, the cladding team were installing gutter sections along one side of the roof. As one of the team, a 53-year-old self-employed roofer from Sheffield, who has asked not to be named, attempted to fix the last section of gutter he fell, striking the handrail of a scissor lift before hitting the ground more than eight metres below.
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He suffered a fractured pelvis, shattered heel and broken thumb. He spent several weeks in hospital and had to have several metal plates inserted to his fractures.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that roof edge protection and safety netting had been installed to the majority of the roof, but an indented corner had been left unprotected. It was in this area that the fall occurred.
After the hearing at Lincoln Magistrates' Court, HSE inspector Tony Mitchell said: "This incident was wholly preventable. Both defendants clearly identified the risk of a fall and the precautions that were needed, but had not fully followed this through on site. Several opportunities to identify and remedy this deficiency had been missed.
"The injured worker is lucky to be alive. There is no room for complacency when it comes to work at height."
Taylor Pearson Construction Limited, of Church Road, Martin Dales, Woodhall Spa, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 22(1)(a) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 in relation to the fall. The firm was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,710.
Roofwise (Bourne) Limited of North Street, Bourne, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1)(c) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, and was fined £3,000 with £1,710 in costs.
(CD)
