The owner of a solar panel installation company has been fined after two workers fell 15ft through a fragile roof.
The Magistrate's Court was told that the owner, Mr Green, had failed to make an adequate assessment of the risks of working on a fragile roof and that there was no equipment or measures in place such as nets or edge protection, to prevent or lessen a fall.
Mr Green pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 which states: “It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety.”
Commenting on the case the HSE inspector said, "Working on roofs can be dangerous, with falls accounting for more deaths in the construction industry than any other type of incident. The risks are well known, and guidance is freely available outlining how to work safely at height.
The onus was on Mr Green to ensure the safety of those in his employment, but he failed to do so. Those in charge of the work must be properly qualified and competent to ensure that the work is carried out safely.
Easi-Dec has a range of products, including Solar Platform, Solar Access System and Solar Bridging Ladder which have been designed specifically to provide safe access up to roof level for solar installations and maintenance.