Roofing Company Fined and Director Sentenced for Risking Workers Lives

RISKING WORKERS LIVES, a roofing company was fined and its director sentenced with a suspended prison sentence after a roof renovation project in Surrey.

Weather Master Roofing Limited and company director, Jack Avanzo, also known as Jack Avenzo, were sentenced at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 2 December 2024 following a prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The HSE investigation found workers were seen operating without any scaffolding or edge protection on the roof of a house on Flint Hill, Dorking, on 21 February 2023.

The roofing work put the operatives at risk of falling from height, while there were also no measures to mitigate a fall, with the likes of harnesses not being used.

Workers were also observed using the lights from their phones and torches while working on the property at night.

The group were working under the control of Weather Master Roofing Limited and Jack Avanzo, 20.

Risking Workers Lives

HSE served Weather Master Roofing Limited with an Improvement Notice on 28 February 2023. The notice required the company to improve how it planned, carried out, supervised and monitored the work that was taking place on the roof.

The company failed to comply with the notice.

HSE has clear guidance on its website about how to plan and carry work at height out safety, including the preventative measures required.

The sentencing hearing took place at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on 2 December 2024. Weather Master Roofing Limited, of Muswell Hill, Broadway, London, pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

The company was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £1,500 in costs as well as a victim surcharge of £1,600.

Jack Avanzo, of Ballyspillane, Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland, pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Jack Avanzo received a 6-month prison sentence, suspended for 2 years. He was ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and was disqualified from being a director for 3 years. He was also ordered to pay £1,500 in costs.

No Excuse

HSE inspector Stephanie Hickford-Smith said: “Falls from height are still the single biggest cause of work-related deaths in Great Britain. The law is clear – suitable and sufficient measures must be taken to prevent, where reasonably practicable, any person falling a distance liable to cause personal injury. Support and practical guidance on how to comply with the law is publicly available, free of charge. There is no excuse for putting workers lives at risk.”

The prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Iain Jordan and supported by HSE paralegal officer Rebecca Forman.

>> Read about more HSE prosecutions in the news