Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 13th April 2016, the two workers were investigating a leak from the roof at the Malton site of Karro Foods Ltd. A build-up of moss disguised the presence of fragile roof-lights and when the two workers both stood on the same roof light at the same time, they fell through it four metres to the ground.
One suffered fractured ribs and a punctured lung; the other a fractured skull.
Karro Foods Ltd of Norton Grove Industrial Estate, Malton, Yorkshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was been fined £1,866,000 and ordered to pay £8,019 in costs.
Health & Safety Executive inspector Mark Slater said after the hearing: “This was a wholly avoidable incident, caused by the failure of the company to provide adequate controls against the risks arising from working at height. Consideration of roof fragility and rooflights, visible or not, should be made, especially on older buildings.”
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