A roofing company and two directors have been fined after a member of the public photographed unsafe practices.

Enviroply Roofing Ltd carried out major refurbishment and extension works at a Manchester hotel development. However, a member of the public contacted the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after taking photos of unsafe work.

A director was pictured walking along a beam to pass something to the other one. He was then shown walking back with nothing to stop or lessen his fall. Any fall would have been one storey and onto timber beams.

Rush job

Although the site employed a scaffolder full-time to build any required scaffolding, Enviroply rushed the job just so it could submit an early invoice!

An investigation by the HSE found the company had not taken proper precautions. The directors didn’t manage the risk of a significant fall despite the fact that scaffolding and a working platform was available on site.

The HSE said “Enviroply Roofing Limited had a duty to protect any employees, even the directors, from a risk of a fall from height.” It added the directors had placed themselves at serious risk of death or life changing injury.

Sentence

Enviroply Roofing Ltd admitted breaking the Work at Height Regulations 2005. It was fined £13,300 with costs of £1,160. Its two directors accepted they broke the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. They were fined £1,100 and £2,100 respectively with costs of £1,160 each.

It was only afterwards the directors realised how stupid it was to take the risks they did. It was pure luck no-one was injured or killed.

Contact Ellis Whittam to make sure you don’t take unnecessary Health & Safety risks!