A roofing company has been fined after an employee fell from a scaffold during chimney repair works at a property in Kings Lynn, Norfolk.

J Webber Roofing Limited of 81 Gayton Road, Gaywood, Kings Lynn pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1)(a) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. It was fined £5,000 with £1,582 in costs.

Kings Lynn Magistrates Court heard how the victim was subcontracted by J Webber Roofing to help remove waste, mix cement and bring tools to colleagues who were working on the chimney at the property on Beech Avenue on 10 July 2015.

-- Advertisement --

The firm had erected a scaffold platform around the chimney with an access ladder attached to it. As the worker climbed up the ladder carrying a cement filled bucket, which had a radio attached to it on his shoulder, he lost his balance and fell around seven metres to the ground.

His injuries included multiple fractures to both of his wrists and lower left arm. He required surgery and steel plates and will never regain full use of his hands.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the company failed to adequately plan out the work at height which involved manually handling construction materials and waste up and down scaffold ladders.

HSE Inspector Kasia Urbaniak said: "The risk of falls from ladders is well known. Ladders are being frequently misused where often better specifically designed equipment is easily available.

"This incident which has left a worker without the full use of his hands could have been easily avoided if a 'gin wheel' had been installed on the scaffold platform to transport tools and other construction materials."

(LM/CD)