Suspended jail sentences after fatal roof fall

Newcastle Crown Court listened to how that on 16 November 2015, the employee was carrying out about-cladding perform, involving the installation of new roofing content over an present fragile asbestos cement roof, at an industrial constructing on West Chirton (South) Industrial Estate, North Shields, Tyne and Dress in.

An HSE investigation discovered that the strategy of work was unsafe and there ended up insufficient safety measures to reduce or mitigate against falls from or by the roof as very well as an efficient assessment of risk, assortment and use of ideal operate gear, protected procedure of get the job done and productive supervision.

Ian Blacklin of Capheaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, pleaded responsible to security breaches and was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.

Dennis Spence of Denton, Newcastle upon Tyne, also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months with £1,800 prices.

Just after the listening to, HSE inspector Andrea Robbins, explained: “In this circumstance there was a considerable failure to prepare and manage the in excess of-cladding of roofs above fragile roofing materials.

“Roof operate should really only be carried out by folks who have the important techniques awareness and encounter, assessing the linked threats, deciding on and applying ideal devices to avert/mitigate falls and ensure effective supervision is in put.”