November Trial Date for Walsall Warehouse Fragile Roof Death

THE TRIAL DATE has been set for 11 November 2024 for the roofing company to be judged following the death of County Durham roofer, Adam Brunskill.

Adam Brunskill fell to his death on the second day of starting his new job as a roofer at Wayne Clarey Roofing and Cladding Ltd.

He fell through a glass-wire panel on the fragile warehouse roof of Bestway Wholesale in Bloxwich Lane Industrial Estate near Reedswood, Walsall on 14 July 2020.

Wayne Clarey Roofing and Cladding Ltd, based in Bishop Auckland, will be tried at the hearing for breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Construction Design Management (CDM) regulations.

As Principal Contractors, fabrication business, Proclad, based in Rotherham, has already pleaded guilty. The guilty plea was to failing to discharge health and safety duties towards persons other than employees, at an initial hearing at Dudley Magistrates Court in 2022.

The company now faces sentencing, which will follow the trial of Wayne Clarey Roofing and Cladding Ltd at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Walsall Warehouse Roof Death

Wayne Clarey Roofing and Cladding Ltd has pleaded not guilty to four alleged breaches of workplace health and safety regulations concerning the provision of training and safe planning, methods and equipment.

At an inquest into Adam Brunskill’s death at Black Country Coroners Court in 2021, Coroner Joanna Lees recorded a jury verdict of accidental death.

During the inquest, it emerged that Adam, a first team rugby player at Bishop Auckland Rugby Club, had received no training or instruction before starting the roof work.

The inquest heard that Wayne Clarey Roofing and Cladding had hired Adam Brunskill with no experience, no training and no CSCS card.

He was asked to work on the fragile warehouse roof which had no fall protection measures in place, no safe walkways marked on the fragile roof and no demarcation of the wired-glass panels.

No Supervision

The coroner said there was also no evidence of a designated supervisor responsible for Adam on the warehouse site or to give practical on-the-job training.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said that Adam Brunskill’s death should have been prevented “by the risk assessor recognising the fragile nature of the rooflights during their risk assessment”, adding that the fall from roof to floor “should not have been possible”.

HSE also commented that Principal Contractors should assure themselves that workers on site possess the requisite CSCS card for the work being undertaken.

After falling through the fragile roof on 14 July 2020, Adam Brunskill sustained a severe brain injury and was rushed to hospital. He died the following day in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham.

The 11 November 2024 trial will be held at Wolverhampton Crown Court before Judge Simon Ward.

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