North Wales-based building contractor Watkin Jones and Son Ltd has been ordered to pay a total of £548,000 following the death of a roofing worker who fell through a roof while working on the construction of the Menai Centre in Bangor, Gwynedd.
Yorkshireman Thomas Whitmarsh was employed by a roofing contractor working for Watkin Jones and Son as a sub-contractor in May 2007. He fell nearly six metres through an unguarded opening in the roof to the floor below, sustaining serious head injuries.
After spending several months in hospital Mr Whitmarsh was making a gradual recovery; however, the brain injury he suffered exposed him to a much higher degree of infection. He contracted acute meningitis and died on 17 December 2009.
The HSE brought the prosecution on under section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. Evidence presented to Mold Crown Court included the findings of a pathologist, which suggested that there was more than an 80% chance that the injuries from the fall contributed to his death.
The court was told on 4 October that edge protection around the opening in the roof had been removed prior to the incident, and the company had failed to provide an alternative means to protect against falls.
The company was fined £450,000 and ordered to pay £98,000 in costs.
Following the hearing, HSE inspector Chris Wilcox said: "Poor co-ordination between the principal and the roofing contractors on this particular part of the site led to the edge protection being removed from around the roof opening without alternative safeguards in place.
"Falls from height are an alarmingly common cause of death and serious injury in construction. All too often straightforward practical precautions are not considered and workers are put needlessly at risk. Poor management of risk in this industry is unacceptable and HSE will take strong action when necessary.
"This tragic case should remind all contractors that work at height must be managed effectively and adequate safeguards should be in place to prevent falls."
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