Roofing firm fined £28k

A roofing company has been fined after a worker suffered serious back injuries when he fell from a ladder whilst transporting a bucket full of broken tiles.

Folkestone Magistrates’ Court was told that on 2 October 2018, workers from AU Roofing and Building Ltd 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, 31, was unable to maintain a constant three points of contact with the ladder, resulting in the fall.

Investigating, the HSE found that the contractor had not provided basic lifting aids, such as a wheel and pulley, which would have eliminated the risk.

AU Roofing and Building Services Ltd of Canterbury Road East, Ramsgate, Kent pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £28,800 and ordered to pay costs of £4,213.70.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Andrew Cousins commented: “This incident could have been so easily avoided by simply providing basic and inexpensive lifting aids, which are industry standard.”