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Engineering manager seriously injured after plunging through a factory skylight

Alpla Ltd of Milton Keynes has been prosecuted after Barry Brice, aged 44, fell 7.5m whilst measuring a damaged rooflight. The incident in November 2009 occurred when Mr Brice lent forward onto the fragile rooflight which shattered and he fell through the opening to the floor below. He suffered a fractures, cuts and bruising and was off work for nine weeks.

Lucky to walk away alive

Alpla Ltd, of Bridge Street, Golborne, Warrington pleaded guilty to breaches of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 (Regulations 4 and 9) at Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court. The company was fined £3,200 and ordered to pay £4,145 in costs.

HSE Inspector, Karl Howes, said:

“Mr Brice was incredibly lucky he was able to walk away from this when so often, falls from this sort of height are fatal.

This incident was entirely preventable and demonstrates what little control there was at the Alpla site. Mr Brice should never have been allowed alone to venture onto the roof.

Falls through roofs during maintenance tasks are a well-known risk. This case highlights the need for employers to consider the risks associated with this practice and have proper systems in place to control them.”

This article was posted on 24th March 2011 in ALL LATEST NEWS, FRAGILE MATERIALS, PROSECUTIONS, falls fragile.
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