Company Fined After Skylight Fall Leaves Worker in Coma

A HERTFORDSHIRE construction company was fined after a worker suffered serious head injuries and was left in a coma for six weeks after falling through a skylight whilst working on a six-storey house.

MH Costa Construction Limited had been completely renovating the property at Moore Park Road, Fulham, London, which included building a basement and an extension.

On 30 November 2018, the worker, along with others, was working on the extension’s flat roof when he fell over three metres through an opening created for the installation of a skylight. The opening was covered with loose planks and work was in progress immediately by the opening.

Investigation

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found it would have only taken a small movement to dislodge the planks. The worker either fell or stepped onto a plank, which then tipped, causing him to fall to the basement below.

The company’s risk assessment records did not consider how to prevent falls through the opening. Additionally, there was no scaffolding or other measures to prevent falls off the sides of the flat roof.

The investigation also revealed other areas where workers could fall, as well as issues relating to manual handling, trip hazards, hazardous wood dust and the storage of flammable materials. There was also no evidence the injured worker had been provided with any formal health and safety related training.

HSE says the company had previously ignored opportunities to review and improve their arrangements before the incident.

HSE Inspector Adrew Verrall-Withers, said: “HSE had served Notification of Contraventions on the company at two other sites during the previous six months, including highlighting unsafe working at height. At one site in Fulham a visiting health and safety advisor provided the company with audit reports which raised edge protection issues as needing immediate attention.”

Construction Company Fined

MH Costa Construction Limited of Beauchamp Court, Victors Way, Barnet, Hertfordshire, pleaded guilty to a breach of Regulation 13 (1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The company was fined £96,000 and ordered to pay £18,965.66 in costs at Southwark Crown Court on 14 November 2022.

Andrew added: “It is well known in the construction industry that working on roofs is a high-risk activity. Roofers account for 24% of all workers who are killed in falls from height while at work. It is essential it is carefully planned.

“The worker suffered serious injuries and may never be able to work again. It is just good fortune he was not killed, but it must have been terrible for his family waiting for those six weeks when he was in a coma.”

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