The Health and Safety Executive reports a self-employed roofing contractor of Essex, Great Britain has been given a suspended prison sentence in the death of a friend. The contractor's friend fell through the room of a residential garage and later died of his injuries.
Steve Mason was contracted to replace a flat roof on a double garage at a house in Well Lane, Stock, near Chelmsford, and brought James Waughman with him. While on site,Waughman, 58, of Perry Road, Tiptree, suffered a stroke and multiple injuries after falling to the garage floor through a gap in the rafters. He died three weeks after the incident in July of 2009. (WCxKit)
The contractor, Steve Mason, also 58 of Perry Road, Tiptree, received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to pay $820.00 (£500 costs) recently at Chelmsford Crown Court after admitting breaching section 3 (2) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
HSE Inspector Lesley Balkham noted, “This sends out a powerful message to roofing contractors. Steve Mason failed to properly consider the risks of the job and act to limit the chances of injury or even death. He should have put guard-rails around the edge of the roof and taken measures to prevent anyone falling through it, but he chose not to.”
“No matter what size the business, everyone in the construction industry should be very familiar with the risks of working at height and appreciate the importance of ensuring that the right precautions are put in place, however small the job. Falls from height remain one of the biggest causes of workplace deaths in the UK.”
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