Roofing firm fined £881,000 after double fall

Billy Hewitt, a worker at Mitie Tilley Roofing Limited, fractured his pelvis after falling through a factory roof in Newcastle. A 24-year-old labourer employed by RM Scaffolding also broke his femur after falling through the roof of a building in Swansea while working on a project run by Mitie Tilley Roofing.

The HSE investigated both incidents and prosecuted Mitie Tilley Roofing and Paul Robinson, a business partner at RM Scaffolding.

On 11 November 2019, Billy Hewitt, 60, fractured his pelvis, left wrist and eye socket after falling through the roof of a factory in Throckley, Newcastle upon Tyne.

He had been replacing a skylight when he fell and landed on the concrete floor seven metres below. Hewitt was in hospital for three weeks after the incident.

He said: “You don’t go to work in the morning and expect to end up in intensive care but that’s what happened to me. It’s been four years since my accident and I don’t know really do anything with my days.

“I really miss work. I was a roofer for 40 years but this accident changed everything because I still can’t work. I used to earn a good wage, but now I’m classed as 51% disabled and I rely entirely on benefits.”

The HSE investigation found Mitie Tilley Roofing failed to properly plan and carry out the work to replace the skylight. The work at height had not been thoroughly assessed as a standalone piece of work. The investigation also found that safety nets were in place on other sections of the roof but not directly underneath the skylight where the accident happened.

On 3 June 2019, a scaffold labourer, employed by RM Scaffolding, was crossing a fragile roof when he fell through a skylight at a unit at Plasmarl Industrial Estate in Swansea.

The 24-year-old landed on his back approximately 20 feet on the floor below. He fractured his femur and suffered a blood clot in one of his main arteries, which required long-term medication.

HSE found that Mitie Tilley Roofing, the principal contractor for the project, failed to plan, manage and monitor the work undertaken by RM Scaffolding, the sub-contractor, to prevent unsafe work practices being used.

Paul Robinson, a business partner at RM Scaffolding, failed to plan the work properly and ensure staff had appropriate skills, knowledge and experience. Robinson also failed to provide appropriate fall protection on the roof.

Following the Newcastle incident Mitie Tilley Roofing of London Bridge Street, London, was found guilty of safety breaches and was fined £575,000 and ordered to pay £84,940.08 in costs.

Following the Swansea incident Mitie Tilley Roofing pleaded guilty to safety breaches and was fined £306,000 and ordered to pay £27,410.63 in costs.

Paul Robinson, of Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 120 hours of unpaid community service, to be served within 12 months. He was also ordered to pay £20,428.73 in costs.

HSE principal inspector John Heslop said: “Too many workers are injured or die every year as a result of falling through fragile rooflights without adequate fall prevention or protection measures in place.

“These were both shocking incidents, which had a lasting impact on those who were injured.

“The law is clear about the measures needed to ensure safety when working on fragile roofs and there is a wide range of guidance available from HSE and the Construction industry on correct ways of working. HSE will not hesitate to take action against employers who do not do all that they should to keep people safe.”