Perilously-perched roofer filmed in power-tool repair job

Ipswich Magistrates’ Court heard the HSE received a complaint from a member of the public in July last year that unsafe work was being carried out on the roof of a house in Dennington, Suffolk. Workers had been spotted carrying out roof repairs without any measures to protect them from falling.

The HSE viewed video footage filmed by the same member of public, which showed Anthony Nightingale, a director of 3A Roofing Ltd, using a petrol-powered disc cutter to cut through a tile while he and an employee worked on the roof without any edge protection, or safe working platform in place.

The video also showed Nightingale and his employee using an unsuitable ladder to access the roof and then clambering up and down the tiles to access the ridge of the roof.

HSE inspector Elizabeth Fowle explained that Nightingale had put himself and his employee’s life at risk by not ensuring suitable safety equipment was present. She said: “Mr Nightingale should have led by example, but instead he put his own life and the life of an employee at risk. Fortunately, no one was injured on this occasion, but it is astonishing that Mr Nightingale thought it was acceptable to use a potentially dangerous piece of machinery while perched at the top of the roof.”

Nightingale appeared in court on 29 May and pleaded guilty to breaching reg.6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. He was fined £1500 and ordered to pay £3000 towards prosecution costs.

In mitigation, Nightingale said he had no previous safety convictions and entered an early guilty plea. He admitted he underestimated the work involved and failed to properly assess the risks involved.