A business has been hit with a fine after it admitted making safety mistakes that led to two of its employees working at height without adequate protection.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Fastrac Profiles, which is based in Willenhall, after learning of an incident that occurred in Bridgtown. A pair of workers had been sent to carry out tasks on the roof of a furniture store, but they soon attracted the attention of a member of the public.
It was noticed by the eagle-eyed onlooker that the men were not using any protective measures. The HSE later discovered that they had not been given the right training to allow them to work at height.
HSE inspector Alastair Choudhury said: "Falls from height are a significant cause of fatalities and serious injuries. The risks involved with work at height are entirely foreseeable and it is essential that proper planning, assessment and training is undertaken to reduce these risks.
"Those who neglect to do this ... and who don't provide a safe system of work put workers at serious risk. They are clearly failing to comply with the required standard."
Fastrac Profiles pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work of Height Regulations 2005 was fined £5,000 for its errors. It was also told it must pay almost £3,800 in costs.
According to the HSE's own statistics, working at height remains one of the most common causes of workplace injuries and deaths in the UK each year. As such, it is imperative that businesses treat this issue with the caution it demands.
Equipping staff with all the latest safety gear and investing time and money in suitable training sessions could be the most effective way of minimising the risks.
Companies that do not follow the right guidelines and allow employees to be placed in positions where they might be the victim of a fall from height could find themselves facing a similar penalty to Fastrac Profiles.
