Dufell Roofing Company Limited of Alexander House, Faverdale Industrial Estate, Darlington pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 15(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. It has been fined £25,000 with more than £24,572 in costs, plus a victim surcharge of £120.
-- Advertisement --
Newcastle Crown Court heard how Stephen Merryweather, a company employee, was fitting new plywood boards over the top of existing wood wool slabs on a roof at a site in Morpeth on 15 April 2015.
While two other workers were in the process of positioning the second plywood board, Mr Merryweather person fell four metres through one of the wood wool slabs onto the floor of the plant room, colliding with internal pipework. He suffered a fracture to his back, which required surgery.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) told the court the firm should have identified that the roofs were potentially fragile and should have planned the work around this fact, with measures in place to prevent a fall through a fragile surface.
HSE inspector Andrea Robbins said: "This injury was easily prevented and the risk should have been identified."
(LM/MH)
