Company fined after worker fel

By: watches2010 Mood: Date: 02/05/2010 18:30:05 Music: None

Byline: LINDA RICHARDS

A FIRM has been fined pounds 6,000 for a health and safety breach which left a roofer with serious injuries.

Lucasz Czuba was helping put metal sheets over plastic skylights on a building in Gateshead when he plunged 20ft through a roof light.

The 26-year-old suffered a fractured skull, arm, pelvis and cheekbone in the fall at Shoe City, Sands Lane Industrial Estate, in July 2007.

Mr Czuba, from Longbenton, North Tyneside, also suffered damage to his optic nerve and now has limited vision.

Before the accident he enjoyed sports, a court heard.

He was working temporarily in the UK before returning to Poland to do a university degree course.

Now his injuries have blighted his chances of doing many of the jobs he would have liked to do.

The Health and Safety Executive warned of the dangers of working on fragile roofs, following the conviction of the company and its director for breaches which led to the fall.

At Gateshead Magistrates' Court yesterday Webber Trading Ltd, of Bank Parade, Burnley, was fined pounds 6,000 after pleading guilty to breaching a general duty to its employee and breaching a general duty to other than an employee. The company was also ordered to pay pounds 2,853.20 costs Company director Jeffrey Robinson, who was on the roof directing the work at the time of the incident, was fined pounds 1,000 after pleading guilty to the same charges and was ordered to pay pounds 215 costs.

HSE prosecutor Martin Smith said the building owners contracted Webber Trading Ltd to carry out repairs which involved fitting steel sheets over the existing plastic roof lights.

Mr Czuba, one of a team of four workers, stepped onto one of the unprotected plastic roof lights which gave way and he fell to the warehouse floor, suffering serious injuries.

The company has a previous health and safety conviction after a worker fell through an asbestos roof in Liverpool in 2002.

Mr Smith said shortly before Mr Czuba's fall, a fellow worker escaped when his leg went through one of the skylights. The pattern of working on the roof was changed after the nearmiss but didn't stop the accident from happening.

It could have been avoided if safety nets had been put under the roof lights or the unprotected lights were covered with protective sheets.

Mr Smith said: "It is clear that the director and the company failed to recognise the risks posed in working on the fragile roof lights. This serious incident could have been avoided."

Neil Cronin, defending, said Webber Trading Ltd is insolvent after being hit by the recession.

He said Mr Robinson apologises for what happened. The company's insurer has admitted liability and a settlement claim is being worked out for Mr Czuba.