A Gateshead construction firm has been fined £100,000 after one of its employees fell to his death while dismantling a hangar roof at Bristol International Airport.
Rubb Buildings, which supplies engineered fabric structures, was prosecuted yesterday by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after Steven Watson fell through the roof while dismantling the disused Brymon hangar on 16 December 2006.
Watson fell approximately nine metres onto the concrete floor below, and died at the scene from multiple internal injuries.
He had previously cut through the PVC tarpaulin roof and as he went to climb back in to the mobile work platform, and fell through the section he had cut away.
Bristol Crown Court heard that there were no other protective measures in place and that Rubb Buildings should have ensured Mr Watson had no need to climb directly onto the roof.
Rubb Buildings pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was also ordered to pay costs of £48,795.36.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector, Steve Frain, said: "Steven Watson should have been properly protected by Rubb Buildings Ltd, instead he lost his life.
"The company failed in its duty to ensure there was a properly planned and supervised means of working - there should have been no need to work directly on the roof.
"Falls from height can be extremely serious risks and adequate safety measures must be in place to protect all workers in order to prevent tragic incidents such as this."
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