A construction company has been fined after a worker fell through a skylight and was left in a coma for six weeks.
The worker fell more than three metres from the skylight when working on a six-storey house with MH Costa Construction Limited, a Barnet-based company.
The company was completely renovating the property at Moore Park Road in Fulham in November 30, 2018 and the man was working on the extension’s flat roof when he fell through an opening covered with loose planks.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found it would have only taken a small movement to dislodge the planks.
HSE found the worker either fell or stepped onto a plank, which then tipped, causing him to fall to the basement below.
According to the HSE, the company’s risk assessment records did not consider how to prevent falls through the opening and there were no measures to prevents falls off the sides of the roof.
Other areas were also found were workers could potentially fall, and there was no evidence the injured worker was given any formal health and safety training.
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The company was fined £96,000 and ordered to pay £18,965.66 in costs at Southwark Crown Court on Monday (November 14, 2022).
HSE inspector Andrew Verrall-Withers said: “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."
He added: “The company ignored good opportunities to review and improve their arrangements before this tragic incident. 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.”
MH Costa Construction Limited was approached for comment.
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