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Suspended sentence for rope access boss

22 Apr 18 The boss of a specialist rope access company has been given a suspended jail sentence after a worker fell through a fragile barn roof.

Sonya French and solar panel supplier Southern Solar Ltd were also both fined for safety offences that led to the incident.

Brighton Crown Court heard how a farmer had contacted Southern Solar to fit 100 solar panels. The company subcontracted the fitting of the panels to a rope access company, Sky High Rope Access Ltd, run by Sonya French. During the installation, two operatives went onto the roof intending to run a rope along the ridge of the barn and attach it to a large tree, but the roof gave way. One of the operatives, 23-year-old David Mattison, fell eight metres through the roof. He spent six months in hospital and is now unable to walk.

An investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found that the person put in charge of planning and supervising the work had never worked on a fragile roof before. The investigation also found the method statement prepared was inadequate as rope access is generally not suitable for use on fragile roofs.

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Southern Solar Ltd, which previously traded at Phoenix House, North Street, Lewes, was found guilty of breaching Regulation 4 (1)(a) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The company, now in administration, was fined £1.

Sonya French of East Wing, Thorpe St Andrews, Norwich, was found guilty of breaching Section 37 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. She was given a 20 month custodial sentence suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 240 hours of unpaid work. She was also ordered to pay costs of £5,000.

HSE inspector Amanda Huff said: “Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers. If a suitable safe system of work had been in place prior to the incident, the life changing injuries sustained by the David Mattison could have been prevented.”

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