Fall from height fatality results in fine for estate agent

An estate agent in Mid-Wales has been fined after an elderly contractor was killed when he fell from a roof.

Roger Jary, a maintenance contractor for Morris, Marshall & Poole estate agents, was 79 years old when he died while carrying out minor repairs to a carport and gutter of a rented bungalow.

The deceased plunged to his death after a plastic roof panel he was moving gave way and he fell approximately two metres to the ground.

Following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), it was found that the estate agent had failed to ensure that the work was properly planned and organised.

Moreover, Morris, Marshall & Poole failed to check that Mr Jary was able to carry out the work.

The estate agent was found to be in breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and forced to pay £75,000 in fines and £11,153.95 in costs.

HSE inspector Chris Wilcox commented: "Morris, Marshall & Poole had a duty to ensure the safety of those they employed - whether working directly for them or not."

Fall from height is one of the leading causes of work fatalities in the UK.

The HSE has continually called on employers to institute comprehensive safety plans to protect workers against such an eventuality.

Published by Tessa Jones