Shropshire roofer and firm are fined over work risk
A Shropshire roofer and an engineering firm have been prosecuted after a member of the public spotted men working unsafely at height.
The concerned passer-by spotted two workers, both sons of roofer Alan Lane, standing on a pitched roof without any safety measures to prevent or protect them from a fall.
He took photos of the work, which took place on the Neachells Lane Industrial Estate in Wolverhampton on February 5 last year, and contacted the Health and Safety Executive.
Wolverhampton Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday that Nathan Engineering (Wednesfield) Ltd had employed Lane to overclad its fragile asbestos cement roof with metal sheets.
It provided Lane, of Boundary Close, Claverley, Bridgnorth, with materials and a method statement. But no edge protection or other safety equipment was provided. In order to access the roof, Lane's sons used a scissor lift, but it did not extend to the full height.
Lane was fined £3,200 and told to pay £4,771 costs after pleading guilty to breaching regulation 4(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
Nathan Engineering was fined £6,400 and told to pay £9,453 costs after pleading guilty to breaching regulation 4(1)
