HSE reminds employers of working at height risks

A Lincoln firm has been penalised after one of its employees was injured while working at height.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) fined A Nicoll and Son £2,500 when one of its staff, employed to clean windows at Lincoln College, fell four metres from a flat roof.

James Theaker, aged 50, broke eight ribs and injured his back after over-reaching when trying to clean the windows.

The firm was prosecuted for failing to make sure the work was sufficiently planned and supervised. It was also ordered to pay almost £2,950 in court costs.

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According to HSE inspector Judith McNulty-Green, falls at work can "shatter lives".

"It is crucial to remember that even when a risk assessment has taken place, it is only effective if the information is passed on to staff and supervision ensures that they undertake the work safely," she commented.

Earlier this month, Norwich firm Philpott Demolition and Recycling was fined £7,500 by the HSE after one of its workers broke their spine during a fall at Norfolk’s former RAF Watton site.