Farm fined after employee has work accident

A farm in Herefordshire has been fined after one of its employees suffered an accident injury when they fell through a barn roof.

Elizabeth Reay and her father James Reay, who traded as H R Reay, admitted at Harlow Magistrates Court that they had breached Regulation 9(2) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.

As a result, both were fined £4,000 each. They were also instructed to pay costs of £2,083.30 between them.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector Kim Wicks issued accident advice, saying: "Falls from height are among the biggest causes of workplace deaths in the UK and the outcome of this incident could have been even more serious."

The incident happened on August 6th last year when Stefan Wasilewski was cleaning a barn roof at Ugley Hall Farm, Bishop's Shortford.

In 2009/10 alone the HSE prosecuted 124 offences in the east of England, while local authorities prosecuted 41.

Published by Hannah Carr