Director Sentenced after Employee Fell Six Metres from Roof

THE DIRECTOR of Globalforce Contracts Limited, Graham Dyson, has been sentenced after an employee fell from a roof and sustained life-threatening injuries.

On 7 April 2017, Slawomir Miller, an employee of Globalforce Contracts Limited, was carrying out roof repairs in Essex when he fell six metres through a fragile rooflight. Slawomir landed on the concrete floor below and received multiple fractures to his vertebrae, ribs, elbow, wrist and sacral bones as a result. He subsequently spent eight weeks in hospital.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company’s director had failed to properly plan the work or provide adequate fall protection to his employees.

Slawomir Miller had never carried out roof work before but was instructed to access the roof via a scissor lift, which he was not trained to use.

Graham Dyson also allowed his employee to work without supervision, undertaking activities that necessitated walking across a fragile roof composed of asbestos cement sheeting.

Director Sentenced

Graham Dyson pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005. He was sentenced to 200 hours of community service, with costs of £6,848.60 and a victim surcharge of £85.

HSE inspector Adam Hills said, “This incident could so easily have been prevented. Work at height on asbestos cement roofing is dangerous and requires adequate planning, organisation, training and equipment.

“The director was aware of the need to access and repair the roof. He could have provided work at height training and equipment to workers, or simply contracted the task out to a professional roofing company. Directors should be aware that they may be held personally accountable if they endanger the lives of their employees.”