Grimsby magistrates heard how the man, who asked for his name not be disclosed, shattered his leg and broke his wrist after falling seven feet through a fragile asbestos cement roof in January 2009.
He was working for demolition contractor H. Cope & Sons Ltd, which was working on sites throughout North East Lincolnshire where garages were being demolished. The employee had only started with the company four months earlier.
The victim he was on the roof of one of the garages at a site in Walmsgate Place in Grimsby when it gave way. He had to have several operations to insert pins and plates into his limbs and needed to use crutches for more than a year. He has been unable to work since the incident in January 2009 and, despite bouts of reconstructive surgery, is in constant pain. He is unlikely to ever work in the construction industry again.
After the incident, HSE's investigation found the firm's planning was inadequate and failed to take into account how the garages were constructed. Supervision was so poor the firm was unaware that employees had to go onto the roofs to dismantle them and break asbestos cement flashings.
Although the firm had identified equipment that should have been provided, such as a tower scaffold and dust suppression spray, plus basic facilities like toilets, it failed to provide them.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted H. Cope & Sons Ltd, of Moody Lane, Grimsby, under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company, which pleaded guilty, was fined a total of £12,000 with costs of £3,570.80.
HSE Inspector Dave Bradley said: "This incident has had a devastating and long-term impact on the man involved. Sadly, it was also totally avoidable.
"Demolition work needs to be properly planned and supervised, regardless of the size. Also, to allow demolition work on structures containing asbestos cement without the provision of any welfare facilities is completely unacceptable. Buckets in the back of a van - as was evident in this case - do not constitute welfare facilities."
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