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Employee who fell through skylight was out of work for six months

Open-access content Tuesday 26th April 2016
From the archive:  Just so you know, this article is more than 3 years old.

Liverpool Magistrates' Court heard how, after completing the repair on the roof ridge, Ian Kirby stepped onto another roof to remove some debris. He fell through a fragile skylight and landed on a tractor scraper several feet below.

Kirby sustained head injuries, a spinal fracture and a broken collar bone and ribs and could not work for six months.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the 13 November 2014 accident and found the risk assessment for the job was unsuitable and insufficient. Kirby had not received training for working at height, nor had he been given any information on roofwork risks.

Phillip Posnett pleaded guilty to Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act and was fined £16,000 plus £3,330 costs.

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