A construction company Director was found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence in April following the death of a roofer.
Lewes Crown Court heard that in July 2018, a worker had been using a ladder that had been secured by two nails into a timber frame on a building site in Hove, when he fell two storeys.
In addition to being found guilty of manslaughter, the company’s Director was also found guilty of two offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act for failure to properly safeguard against serious injury or death from a fall from height. The business itself was also found guilty of these same two charges.
The victim had been subcontracted by an asphalt company for the position; the Brighton-based firm pleaded guilty to an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act, with its Director also convicted of the same offence, but was not found guilty of manslaughter. Both company Directors have been bailed whilst awaiting sentencing, which will take place in June.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found a number of safety failings including failure to ensure scaffolding or barriers to protect those working at height.
Falls from height remain the number one cause of fatal accidents in UK workplaces. It is the responsibility of employers to ensure a safe environment for all those working at height; this means employing trained and qualified personnel, regularly inspecting the site and ensuring work is supervised – again, by a qualified professional.
Ensure your business is working safely at height with the support of the SIMIAN team, contact us today to find out more about our services.
SIMIAN Supports Project Zero With Scaffolding Taster Day at LASC
£40k Fine for Food Company Following Ladder Fall
Scaffold Collapse on Busy Liverpool High Street
Meet our newest BDM, Matt Luetchford
SIMIAN Welcomes Year 9 Students for LASC Workshop
Sign up for industry insights and latest offers
© 2022 SIMIAN Risk Group All rights reserved
Sign up for industry insights and latest offers
© 2022 SIMIAN Risk Group All rights reserved
We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.
You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings .
This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
If you'd rather we didn't use cookies when you visit our website, click one of the links below for information on how to configure your browser settings to reject cookies and how to delete cookies. Please note that our website may not work correctly if you disable cookies.
Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Internet Explorer Microsoft Edge Apple Safari Opera Apple Safari iOS Android/Google Chrome iOS