Scaffolding firm Extra Access has been fined £40,000 after a roof worker fell to his death.

James Bailie, 53, fell through a scaffold tower deck while carrying out roof work at a property in Thorntonhall, South Lanarkshire.

He fell nearly six metres and suffered serious head injuries on 22 September 2011. He died the following day.

Hamilton Sheriff Court heard that the scaffold deck used for the two-storey building was in a bad state of repair due to brown rot decay.


This meant when Mr Bailie walked on it, it broke, causing him to fall to the ground.

The Glasgow-based company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

HSE Inspector Graeme McMinn said: "The company failed to provide safe and suitable working equipment for their customer and his workers.

"There is no excuse for allowing the use at work of mobile access tower components that were in such a poor condition, the scaffolding industry is well aware of the risks involved in this type of work.

"Mr Baillie's tragic death could have been avoided if Extra Access Limited had ensured the scaffold tower deck was properly inspected and maintained or otherwise taken out of service."

(LM)