Young worker fell from roof retrieving football

In February last year, Ashley Saunders, an apprentice working for S Cartwright & Sons (Coachbuilders) Ltd of Altrincham, Greater Manchester, was playing football with other employees in the yard of the factory when the ball was accidentally kicked onto the roof.

Manchester Crown Court heard how a mobile work platform, used for working on trailers, was moved to the front of the building by the apprentice, who then used it to climb on to the roof to look for the ball.

As he walked across the roof he fell over five metres through a skylight to a concrete floor below and died from his injuries.

Yesterday, S Cartwright & Sons Ltd pleaded guilty to a charge brought under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations and was fined £7,000 and ordered to pay £17,376 in costs.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which brought the prosecution, warned of the importance of employers knowing what staff did on their premises during breaks.

Access restricted

HSE inspector, Vincent Joyce, said after the case: "This was an entirely avoidable incident. Ashley was simply playing a game of football during his lunch break and went onto the roof to retrieve the ball.

"We don't want to stop healthy break-time activities such as football, but employers need to be fully aware of what their employees get up to on their premises, and take action to protect them, particularly vulnerable employees, who may not fully appreciate the hazards and risks present in the workplace."

He added: "The dangers of fragile roofs are not always apparent, so access routes to roofs should be appropriately marked. Additionally, access to the roof should be restricted to employees and contractors with adequate knowledge and training in working at height."

Following the incident the company was served with an improvement notice requiring prominent warning notices saying that the roof was fragile, to be displayed.

Regulation 8 (1)(c) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, states: "Every employer shall ensure that none of his employees has access to any area occupied by him to which it is necessary to restrict access on grounds of health and safety unless the employee concerned has received adequate health and safety instruction."