Folkestone magistrates heard that, on 2nd October 2018, AU Roofing & Building Ltd workers were working on a roof in Elmes Avenue, Ramsgate, Kent where they were required to carry buckets of materials by hand down the scaffold access ladder.
Davey Battams, aged 31, was unable to maintain a constant three points of contact with the ladder and fell to the ground.
An investigation by the Health & Safety Executive found that the contractor had not provided basic lifting aids, such as a wheel and pulley, which would have eliminated this risk.
Ramsgate-based AU Roofing & Building Services Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974. It was fined £28,800 and ordered to pay costs of £4,213.70.
HSE inspector Andrew Cousins said after the hearing: “This incident could have been so easily avoided by simply providing basic and inexpensive lifting aids, which are industry standard. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those who fall below the required standards.”
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