Company fined after failing to provide workers with adequate safety equipment

Two employees of Aquacoat Ltd of Derby were observed by passing HSE inspectors as they worked on the roof of a residential property in Oldfield Drive, Swadlincote, in June last year.

The workmen were not following a safe system of work and were not using safety equipment to prevent falls as they cleaned the roof, placing themselves and the occupier at risk.

Prosecution followed and Aquacoat Ltd of Pride Park, Derby, was found guilty of breaching S.4(1) and S.6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined £10,000 with £4,177 costs.

An HSE official commented:
“Fortunately no one was injured on this occasion, but this was a blatant disregard for health and safety which put both workers and members of the public in danger. Roofing work requires careful planning and assessment of the risks involved. In this case employees were working without the correct equipment to protect them from falls or to protect passers by from falling material.

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