Herefordshire conservatory firm fined after man seriously injured during home extension work

The accident

“This incident could have easily had fatal consequence, and it highlights the importance of undertaking a thorough assessment of the risks for all work at height activities” - HSE spokesperson

A conservatory construction company based in Herefordshire has been fined £40,000 following serious injuries to one of its employees. The builder, a 56-year-old man, fell more than two meters to the ground after accidentally stepping into an unguarded opening whilst working on a conservatory roof, resulting in serious injuries to his head, ribs, spleen, and kidneys. The builder was hospitalised for more than two weeks in a critical condition.

Results of the investigation

An HSE-led investigation revealed that the construction company, Atrium Conservatories Limited, had not sufficiently trained its builders, leading to heightened accident risks, such as falling. As an HSE-spokesperson explained:

“Every company that carries out building alterations must understand they are undertaking construction work; and therefore, ensure they put in place suitable control and management measures throughout the duration of the work to the same standards as the wider construction industry.”

Additionally, the investigation revealed that no external scaffold was present, which would have added a layer of protection against serious falls.

What companies need to be mindful of

As with many Health & Safety related injuries, the precipitating causes were a marked absence of effective Work at Height-specific risk assessments. If the construction company had undertaken them:

• The need for both specialised procedural training would have been identified and implemented.
• The need for an external protective scaffold would have been revealed, prompting the company to enforce these measures, de-risking the building process.

As a construction company, you need to ensure these basic measures, guidelines, and protections are implemented, specific to your sector and/or industry.

Not being aware of the risk

In our more than 80 years of Health & Safety experience, we’ve repeatedly seen that the most ubiquitous reason UK employers don’t employ sufficient, professionally undertaken risk assessments is because they simply don’t know that there are incumbent risks in the first place.

This isn’t because companies are incompetent; it is because they simply don’t have the expertise or know that seeking external support is viable and/or valuable. However, as is clear in this unfortunate case, the price to be paid for failing to conduct thorough risk assessments is always high for both employers and employees.

In summary

We understand that as a business owner, your plate is always full. That’s why we assist by helping you ensure your bases are covered. Croner provides specialised Health & Safety consulting and management services that thousands of UK businesses have come to rely on.

Why take the risk? Enlist the services of a Health & Safety specialist today to ensure your workplace is risk-free and compliant to the letter of the law.

Give one of our specialists a call for free, same day support on 0808 501 6651.