Jonathan May, 39, from Horbury, Wakefield, was a subcontractor for Davis Industrial Roofing Limited, working on a storm-damaged warehouse roof in December 2016 on the Carlton Industrial Estate in Barnsley.
He was part of a three-man team replacing more than 300 storm-damaged skylights on a fragile asbestos cement roof.
On 18th December 2016, just a week before Christmas and with two children at home, Jonathan May fell to his death while at work.
Six years later, the case has finally come to court.
Sheffield magistrates heard this week that an investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found Wakefield-based Davis Industrial Roofing had failed to provide an appropriate risk assessment, method statement, and suitable and sufficient fall protection measures for the roof work to be carried out safely.
The investigation found that even though reasonably practicable precautions were available, poor planning had resulted in a risk assessment and method statement that was not suitable and sufficient. The work was poorly supervised and carried out unsafely.
Melvyn Davis, the sole director of the company, who had drawn up the risk assessment and method statement and had regularly visited the site to monitor progress, had failed to provide suitable and sufficient fall protection measures and consented to the use of an unsafe system of work. This constituted a personal neglect for safety during the roof work.
Melvyn Davis, of Field Place, Wakefield, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He was sentenced to eight weeks imprisonment suspended for 12 months and ordered to do 15 days of rehabilitation activity.
Davis Industrial Roofing Limited, of Field Place, Wakefield, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £12,557.
HSE Inspector Chris Gallagher said after the hearing: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices. Companies and directors should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
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