A Health & Safety Executive (HSE) inspector visited a property in Kingsbury, Brent after receiving a complaint. There he saw – and photographed – three workers on the roof with no measures to mitigate the risk of a fall or the impact of any fall. There was also nothing to prevent other building materials or objects from falling, also exposing any workers on the ground to a serious risk of injury.
Westminster Magistrates heard this week that the work was being carried out by Ranjit Roofing Company Ltd, of Ealing, under the control of director Ranjit Singh, from Hounslow.
The court was told that the company was served with an immediate prohibition notice preventing any further work at height at the property until sufficient safety measures had been put in place.
Ranjit Roofing Co Ltd, of Speart Lane, Hounslow, was fined £5,000 with £4,137 costs after admitting breaching the Work at Height Regulations.
Ranjit Singh, of Ruislip Road, Greenford, Middlesex, was given a two year conditional discharge and ordered to pay full costs of £1,957 for a breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in his capacity as director of the company.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Jack Wilby said: “The consequences of a fall from height are likely to be life-changing. That is why HSE will not hesitate to take action against companies that fall so lamentably below standards when it comes to protecting their staff.
“This is the second prosecution of a roofing company from this part of London for similar safety failings in just a few months. The fact that there was no incident in this case is immaterial – the danger was there and someone could have been injured, or even killed, at any time.”
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