Kieran Thomson was repairing roofs at J Smart & Co (Contractors) PLC’s own plant yard at Redbraes Place when the incident occurred on 7 December 2012.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard yesterday (26 February) that Mr Thomson was on the roof of an old joiners’ workshop when he asked a colleague to pass him up a ladder. Mr Thomson levered it onto the top of a scaffold pole and walked backwards pulling the ladder on to the roof. As he did so he caught his heel on a domed plastic rooflight and, despite trying to stop himself, fell head first through it.
He fell five metres and struck his head on the table of an industrial floor-mounted bandsaw, which fortunately had no blade in it, before landing on his side on the floor. He was taken to hospital with bruising on his left arm, leg and side, a cut to the back of his head and cuts to his legs. He was discharged later that evening and returned to work four weeks later.
An investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found that J Smart & Co – a £26m turnover enterprise – had failed to carry out a risk assessment before the work and that there were no measures in place to prevent people stepping or falling onto the roof light, such as protective covers or perimeter barriers.
The investigation concluded the firm had failed to plan and supervise work being carried out at height adequately, and ensure that the work was carried out in a safe manner.
J Smart & Co (Contractors) PLC, of Crammond Road South, Edinburgh, was fined £1,600 after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 4 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
Following the case, HSE inspector Isabelle Martin, said: “This was an entirely avoidable incident. Falls from height remain one of the most common reasons for injuries and even fatalities at work, and it is fortunate that Mr Thomson survived such a fall.
“J Smart & Co (Contractors) PLC should have carried out a risk assessment before work started. It is well known that roof lights are fragile and the control measures required to ensure that people do not fall through them are equally well known.”
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