Plymouth roofing firm fined for worker’s life threatening injuries

Plymouth roofing firm fined for worker’s life threatening injuries

A roofer nearly died after falling whilst working on the ridge of part of a roof where there was no protection to prevent a fall.

James Hopkin (29) from Plymouth, was working on the pitched roof of a mid-terraced house in Torpoint on 18 April 2013 when he fell down onto the rear tenement roof and landed in a neighbouring courtyard suffering severe head injuries.

The incident was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which prosecuted Mr Hopkin’s employer, B&C Roofing, at Truro Magistrates Court.

The court heard that Mr Hopkin was the supervisor for the work on the house in Marine Drive and was working on the ridge of the main roof when he fell, sustaining life threatening and life changing injuries and leaving him bed bound for more than six months.

No edge protection, which could have prevented the fall to the ground, had been installed to protect the area where he was working and ultimately fell.

B&C Roofing, of Forresters Business Park, Estover Close, Plymouth, pleaded guilty to a breach of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined £16,000 and ordered to pay £9,627 in costs.