Robert Jozwiak, 44, of Humberstone, was repairing the roof on the former textile dye house at Evington Valley Road, Leicester on 3 June 2009 when it gave way and he landed on the concrete floor six metres below. His skull and back were fractured and he died from his injuries later that evening.
He had been instructed to carry out the work by Musa Suleman who was helping to bring the building back into use.
Mr Suleman, 56, of Freeman Road North, Leicester, was prosecuted by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) for failing to ensure that the work was properly planned, supervised or carried out in a safe manner.
He pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was given a 12 month prison sentence suspended for two years at Leicester Crown Court. He was also ordered to pay compensation of £13,800 to Mr Jozwiak's family and full costs of £17,337.
.gif)
After the hearing HSE inspector Karl Raw said: "The roof was made of corrugated asbestos cement sheets, and the work required careful planning and consideration of the risks involved. Tragically, Mr Suleman failed to do this and to properly supervise the work which resulted in the needless death of a husband and father.
"Safe routes and protective equipment should have been in position to allow Mr Jozwiak to get to work areas without injury, and measures to prevent or mitigate any falls should have been in place.
"Work at height remains a major cause of injury and fatalities in the workplace and for this reason it is important appropriate planning, supervision and safety measures are essential. This becomes even more critical when a job involves work on or near fragile roofing materials as at this site."
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
