A roofing company has been fined along with two of its directors after carrying out unsafe refurbishment work at a hotel development in Manchester.

Enviroply Roofing Limited of Unit 20b, Yarrow Business Centre, Yarrow Rd, Chorley pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. It was fined £13,300 with over £1,160 in costs.

Jake Joseph Clarke of Crown Street, Leyland, Preston pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £1,100 with over £1,160 in costs.

Aaron Paul Hepworth of 1 Appleyard, Prestolee Road, Radcliffe pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. He was fined £2,100 with more than £1,160 in costs.

Manchester Magistrates Court heard how Enviroply Roofing was appointed to carry out major refurbishment and extension works at a hotel development in central Manchester.

-- Advertisement --

However, a member of the public witnessed and photographed unsafe work at the construction site and contacted the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on 17 March 2015.

The court was told that in the photograph, Mr Clarke is pictured. In addition, his fellow director Mr Hepworth was witnessed walking along the beam to pass something to Mr Clarke, then walking back again. There was nothing to stop them or mitigate a fall from this beam.

An investigation by HSE found there was a full-time scaffolder on site who was employed to build any scaffolding required by contractors, but on this occasion Enviroply and its directors had chosen to rush the job in order to submit their invoice earlier. Mr Clarke and Mr Hepworth put their lives at risk as the fall would have been one storey and onto timber beams.

HSE concluded the defendants had failed to take the proper precautions to manage the risk of a significant fall from height, despite there being adequate provision on site to provide them with scaffolding and safe working platforms.

HSE inspector Matt Greenly said: "Enviroply Roofing Limited had a duty to protect any employees, even the directors, from a risk of a fall from height.

"Mr Clarke and Mr Hepworth in their position as directors recognised that their choices on that day placed themselves at a serious risk of death or life changing injury and admitted as much for themselves and their company.

"It is pure luck that no-one was injured or killed. I would like to thank the people who reported these concerns to us as they have been instrumental in saving the lives of these men."

(LM/MH)