- Working at height a leading cause of workplace injury and death, HSE guidance is available.
Two Shrewsbury-based companies have been fined after a worker fell through a roof during extension work on a house extension the town.
The injured man was one of several workers employed by Roofrite (Shropshire) Limited carrying out work on the roof of the property on 9 December 2022. The firm had been appointed by principal contractor Harding and Houlston Building Contractors Limited to install the roof on the property.
While working on the roof, the man accidently stepped in an area where there was an opening for a window that was yet to be installed, resulting in him falling through and to the ground below. He suffered fractures to his spine and ribs.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that external scaffold had been put into place around the perimeter of the extension to allow workers access to the roof. However, there were no measures in place internally to prevent falls into the extension and to the ground below.
- Working at height remains one of the leading causes of workplace injury and death and HSE has detailed guidance on working safely at height.
The HSE investigation also found that Roofrite (Shropshire) Limited had failed to properly plan the work and to provide its workers with suitable instructions for carrying out their duties safely. Harding and Houlston Building Contractors Limited had also failed to ensure that the roof work had been properly planned, and failed to carry out any monitoring of the work that was being completed by the roofers on the site, which was under its control.
Roofrite (Shropshire) Limited of Atcham Business Park, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, pleaded guilty to breaching three charges of Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and were fined £8,000 and order to pay costs of £2,990 at a hearing at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court on 19 May 2025.
Harding and Houlston Building Contractors Limited of Emstrey House North, Shrewsbury Business Park, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and were fined £500 and order to pay costs of £2,990 at the same hearing.
HSE inspector Sara Andrews said “Working at height remains one of the leading causes of workplace injury and death.
“This incident highlights the importance of undertaking a thorough assessment of the risks for all work at height activities. Suitable control measures, such as internal crash deck, should also be implemented to minimise the risk of serious personal injury.
“All principal contractors must ensure such control measures are in place throughout the duration of the work.”
This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Nathan Cook and paralegal officer Gabrielle O’Sullivan.
Further information:
- The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
- More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
- Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
- HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences in England and Wales can be found here and for those in Scotland here.
- HSE guidance on working safely at height is available.