A Lancashire sign-fitting company and its director have been prosecuted after a worker died from head injuries sustained in a fall from scaffolding lacking basic safety protection.
Iftikhar Ahmed Mughal, 64, was installing a metal shop sign in Darwen when he fell six feet from an unguarded scaffolding platform to the pavement below. Despite the relatively modest height, the fall caused serious head injuries that proved fatal four days later.
The incident has prompted fresh warnings from safety inspectors about the continued risks posed by working at height, which remains a leading cause of workplace deaths across the construction industry.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that WH Metals Limited and its director failed to prevent the risk of falls from height during the installation of signs. The scaffolding tower being used lacked edge protection—a basic safety measure that investigators say would likely have prevented the tragedy.
The company’s director was present on site when the incident occurred, adding to the severity of the safety failures identified by HSE inspectors.
Mr Mughal’s son, Asad Iftikar, paid tribute to his father following the court hearing: “My father was like a roof to the family, and since his death, I and my siblings have felt alone. He always supported us in everything we did; he would help us make all the important decisions in our lives.”
WH Metals Limited, based in Preston, pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company received a £45,000 fine and was ordered to pay £4,826.21 in costs plus a £2,000 victim surcharge.
Director Waqas Hanif pleaded guilty to breaching the same Act and received a 26-week custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay £4,846.21 in costs and a £154 victim surcharge.
HSE Inspector David Hobbs emphasised the preventable nature of the tragedy: “Work at height remains one of the leading causes of workplace injury and death. In this case, a fall of six feet was enough to cause death, highlighting the dangers.
“This incident highlights the importance of suitable control measures, such as edge protection, to minimise the risk of serious personal injury.”
The case serves as a stark reminder that even relatively low-level work at height can prove fatal without proper safety measures. HSE guidance clearly states that tower scaffolds should be fitted with suitable guardrails around platforms—a well-established control measure that has been standard practice in the industry for decades.
