![PP Construction Safety logo and link to home page [1]](http://www.ppconstructionsafety.com/wp-content/themes/ppcs960/images/ppcslogo.jpg)
HSE SPELL OUT CLIENT DUTY ON FRAGILE ROOF RISK
Clients must take action to avoid perennial cause of construction deaths
HSE has published new guidance on the risk presented by fragile roofs. It is aimed at building owners and occupiers, construction businesses and workers.
On average 7 people die each year after falling through a fragile roof or fragile roof light and many others suffer permanent disabling injury. Such falls account for almost a fifth of all fatal falls from height in the construction industry.
The deaths primarily involve those working in the building maintenance sector carrying out small, short-term maintenance and cleaning jobs on the roofs of factories, warehouses and farm buildings.
The following are likely to be fragile: old roof lights; old liner panels on built-up sheeted roofs; non-reinforced fibre cement sheets; corroded metal sheets; glass (including wired glass); rotted chipboard; and slates and tiles.
Five key actions for building owners or occupiers
HSE state that before work starts building owners and occupiers should ensure:
- Assessment – roof is assessed by a competent person using a safe system of work;
- Planning – work is planned by a contractor with sufficient expertise on fragile roof working;
- Specification – non-fragile assemblies are specified for new and replacement roofs;
- Time – contractors have allowed sufficient time to carry out the work safely; and
- Implementation – the planned safe system of work is implemented.
HSE provide guidance on how to control the risk. Priority should be given to adopting a method that allows profiled roof sheets or roof lights to be replaced from underneath using a suitable work platform.
Prevention can also be achieved by using a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) that allows people to work from within the basket without standing on the roof itself.
Where working from below or from a MEWP is not possible other preventive measures must be used e.g edge protection and stagings; safety nets underneath the roof and harness systems. Where harnesses are used there must be adequate anchorage points.
All systems of work must be properly implemented through discipline, training and supervision.
Expect HSE enforcement action on failure to control risk
Working on fragile surfaces is described as “extremely dangerous and the precautions are well established”. The legal requirement is to organise and plan all roof work so it is carried out safely.
HSE confirm that If inspectors encounter failure to control risk the work will be prohibited and prosecution may follow.
Latest Construction Health and Safety News
PRISON SENTENCE FOR IGNORING HSE PROHIBITION
Roofing contractor sentenced over unsafe working at height
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 15th June 2019FIRM FAILED ON SILICA RISK MANAGEMENT
Dust exhaust ventilation, RPE and health surveillance all absent
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 14th June 2019WOMAN DIED TRAPPED IN POWERED ROLLER DOOR
Firm did not check the operation of the safety sensors
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 12th June 2019HSE TO HELP DITCH ‘UNNECESSARY PAPERWORK’
Board considers forthcoming HSE guidance on navigating H&S rules
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 12th June 2019SCAFFOLDER DIED IN FALL THROUGH FRAGILE ROOF
Contractor given prison term and main contractor fined
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 12th June 2019ENERGY BUSINESS FINED OVER LIFTING FATALITY
Firm failed to train in lorry mounted crane remote control risk
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 12th June 2019HSE ENFORCEMENT DATABASE LATEST UPDATE
View current online register of HSE prosecutions and enforcement notices
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 12th June 2019MAJOR FIRM FINED £800K OVER LIFTING ERRORS
Workman injured by falling heavy expanded polystyrene block
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 7th June 2019NEW APPROACH TO HIGHWAYS HEALTH AND SAFETY
Highways England launches ‘Home Safe and Well’ strategy
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 5th June 2019EXCLUSION ZONE ABSENT DURING LIFTING OPERATION
Builder given prison term after timber falls on three year old girl
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 5th June 2019GAS FITTER JAILED OVER UNSAFE WORK
Homeowners misled and put at risk by rogue gas fitter
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 5th June 2019CDM 2015 CLIENT FINED OVER ASBESTOS FAILINGS
Homes development company and director fined
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 4th June 2019CONSTRUCTION PROJECT FATALITIES FALLING
HSE fatality records for 2018/19 indicate significant reduction in deaths
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 4th June 2019ALERT: REINFORCED AERATED CONCRETE PLANKS
Structural Safety body issues alert over recent failure
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 3rd June 2019HSE CONSTRUCTION HEALTH RISKS INITIATIVE 2019
Regulator visits to focus on asbestos, RCS, wood and other dusts
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 3rd June 2019TWO DEFENDANTS HANDED PRISON TERMS OVER FALL
Company, two directors and contractor sentenced
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 3rd June 2019WORKMAN INJURED WHEN STEEL FELL FROM FORKLIFT
Lifting not properly planned, supervised and carried out safely
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 1st June 2019LOLER INSPECTIONS LATE AND RESULTS IGNORED
Granite supplier failed to inspect lifting equipment and take action
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 31st May 2019SUPPLIER OF FLOORING ADHESIVE FINED £500,000
Floor layer died after being overcome by dichloromethane vapour
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th May 2019WALL COLLAPSED ON DOMESTIC PROJECT CLIENT
Sole trader builder sentenced to 120 hours community service
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 27th May 2019CONCRETE PUMP FLAILING LINE CAUSED DEATH
Hose whipped violently when blockage cleared under pressure
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 27th May 2019FRAGILE ROOF FALL DEATH ATTRACTS NOMINAL FINE
Volunteer fell through roof of football club stand
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 27th May 2019FARMER FINED OVER FATAL FALL THROUGH ROOF
Valley gutter cleaning from ladder ends in death of contractor
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 20th May 2019FIRM FAILED TO ‘ENGAGE’ WITH HSE INSPECTORS
Company and director omitted to take action on Improvement Notices
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 20th May 2019HOME BUILDER FAILED TO MANAGE STEEL INSTALL
Workman struck by steel beam and seriously injured
Posted on 20th May 2019
December 19th, 2012 at 11:07 am
[…] all too common and can result in serious or even fatal injuries. Work must be properly planned and appropriate safety equipment provided to minimise the risks […]
December 20th, 2012 at 10:35 am
[…] from height deaths in the construction and building maintenance sectors. HSE has recently published updated guidance explaining the actions which clients should take to control the risk and comply with their CDM […]
January 15th, 2013 at 3:49 pm
[…] Mr White also reported that HSE had noticed an increase fatal falls through fragile roofs. On average there are six fatalities each year from falls through fragile surfaces, but initial figures show an increase in this number over the past 6-9 months. He added: “We’re not sure why this is, it could be that the bad weather has damaged more roofs and made for more repairs, which tended to be carried out by jobbing builders, which are a hard-to-reach target. We certainly need to try to raise our game in this area.” […]
February 11th, 2013 at 5:37 pm
[…] roof or fragile roof light. Many others suffer permanent disabling injury. However, falls can be easily prevented by careful planning, using trained and experienced workers with suitable equipment and employing a […]
February 28th, 2013 at 4:22 pm
[…] is therefore essential that effective management arrangements are in place to ensure risks are managed and workers are protected. Fragile roof covers provide […]
October 7th, 2013 at 10:11 am
[…] few simple precautions by MD Construction Ltd could have prevented this incident from happening in the first place. Where […]
October 15th, 2013 at 12:54 pm
[…] Companies should make sure that they find out how contractors intend to carry out work on their roof…and take specialist advice if they’re not sure whether the proposed method of work is safe.” […]
October 22nd, 2013 at 5:12 pm
[…] on the outside of the farm building, but failed to act to adequately prevent a fall or to provide safety measures internally e.g. safety nets or scaffold to mitigate the effects of a […]
January 31st, 2014 at 5:49 pm
[…] “Michael Sweet sadly lost his life because neither Aramex nor Gary Edwards put enough thought into his safety while working on a fragile warehouse roof. […]
February 25th, 2014 at 4:48 pm
[…] straightforward, commonsense procedures could have saved Mr Stone’s […]
March 12th, 2014 at 2:13 pm
[…] company had a risk assessment that stated control measures would be needed for roof working, including creating a safe working platform with scaffold boards, […]
April 16th, 2014 at 9:46 pm
[…] Client responsibilities for work on fragile roofs […]