A painter from Birmingham has suffered several broken bones after falling through a skylight in what can be described as a massive breach of health and safety regulations while carrying out work in Kettering. The decorating firm that he was working for as well as the principal contractor have been found guilty of not providing the correct health and safety protection and have been ordered to pay fines.
The court has determined that they are in breach of several different health and safety codes and that they should pay costs as well as fines for their neglect. The painter broke a number of bones including his elbow, leg, hip and pelvis as he crashed through the skylight and fell to the concrete floor.
The incident happened at an industrial unit in Kettering in January of 2012. With a fall such as this, the worker was very lucky to have survived with only broken bones because he could have easily been killed or paralysed if he had landed differently from the fall.
Could Have Avoided Serious Injury
According to the Health and Safety Executive, the body which regulates health and safety in the UK, the painting and decorating company should have assessed the risk of the fall and provided a safety apparatus. If the painter had been properly secured, he would have avoided serious injury.
Fined by the HSE
The firm, KJ Smith & Sons Painters, will be required to pay £4,500 as well as costs of £1,932. It was determined that they were guilty of breaching several of the Work at Height Regulations of 2005. JBN Builders Ltd. also pleaded guilty of breaching the Health and Safety at Work act of 1974 and were fined a total of £3,000 as well as costs of £1,932. According to the HSE, the company should have been monitoring the work which was being done and should have also checked that the decorating firm was following the correct health and safety procedures.
Working at Height Regulations
The Work at Height regulations were developed in order to keep workers safe when they are working in situations high above the ground. Proper harnesses must be worn at all times in order to secure any workers and appropriate supervision must be maintained