Mitie Tilley Roofing Limited, a roofing company, and their business partner at RM Scaffolding, Paul Robinson, have been handed substantial fines and legal penalties following two separate incidents that left workers seriously injured.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted comprehensive investigations into both incidents, highlighting serious safety shortcomings and ultimately resulting in significant consequences for the companies involved.
Incident 1: Newcastle Factory Roof
On November 11, 2019, Billy Hewitt, a 60-year-old worker from Whickham, suffered a catastrophic accident while working on a factory roof in Throckley, Newcastle upon Tyne. He fractured his pelvis, left wrist, and eye socket after falling seven meters through the roof. Billy was replacing a skylight at the time of the accident and landed on the concrete floor below. He endured a gruelling three-week hospital stay following the incident.
Billy Hewitt recounted the life-altering impact of the accident, saying, “You don’t go to work in the morning and expect to end up in intensive care, but that’s what happened to me. It’s been four years since my accident, and I don’t really do anything with my days. I really miss work. I was a roofer for 40 years, but this accident changed everything because I still can’t work. I used to earn a good wage, but now I’m classed as 51% disabled and rely entirely on benefits.”
The HSE investigation into the incident revealed that Mitie Tilley Roofing Limited had failed to plan and execute the skylight replacement work properly. The work at height had not been thoroughly assessed, and safety nets were absent directly underneath the skylight where the accident occurred.
Incident 2: Plasmarl Industrial Estate, Swansea
On June 3, 2019, a scaffold labourer employed by RM Scaffolding suffered a similarly harrowing incident. While crossing a fragile roof at Plasmarl Industrial Estate in Swansea, the 24-year-old worker fell through a skylight, landing approximately 20 feet below. He suffered a fractured femur and a blood clot in one of his main arteries, requiring long-term medical treatment.
HSE’s investigation found that Mitie Tilley Roofing Limited, acting as the principal contractor for the project, had failed to adequately plan, manage, and monitor the work carried out by RM Scaffolding, the subcontractor, to prevent unsafe work practices. Moreover, Paul Robinson, a business partner at RM Scaffolding, neglected to plan the work adequately, ensure staff possessed appropriate skills and knowledge, and failed to provide the necessary fall protection on the roof.
Legal Consequences
Following these incidents, Mitie Tilley Roofing Limited faced severe legal repercussions. For the November 11, 2019 incident, the roofing company was found guilty of breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005. They were fined a substantial £575,000 and ordered to pay £84,940.08 in costs.
Regarding the June 3, 2019 incident, Mitie Tilley Roofing Limited pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. They were subsequently fined £306,000 and ordered to pay £27,410.63 in costs.
Paul Robinson, the business partner at RM Scaffolding, was not spared legal consequences either. He pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005. Robinson was sentenced to 120 hours of unpaid community service, to be served within 12 months, and ordered to pay £20,428.73 in costs.
HSE Principal Inspector John Heslop emphasised the importance of safety measures, stating, “Too many workers are injured or die every year as a result of falling through fragile rooflights without adequate fall prevention or protection measures in place. These were both shocking incidents, which had a lasting impact on those who were injured. HSE will not hesitate to take action against employers who do not do all that they should to keep people safe.”
