School caretaker fell through roof (From Brentwood Weekly News)

School caretaker fell through roof

10:51am Thursday 2nd July 2009

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A SCHOOL has been found guilty of breaking health and safety regulations after a caretaker fell through a glass canopy on to concrete.

The worker was cleaning rubbish from a fragile fibreglass canopy in the playground of Brentwood County High School, when it gave way and he fell to the ground.

Magistrates heard the man broke four ribs and suffered a gash to his head, from which he still suffers migraines, as a result of the fall in February 2007.

The school, which is in Seven Arches Road, admitted two charges of breaching health and safety law at Basildon Magistrates’ Court last week, and was fined £1,500 and ordered to pay £2,862 in costs.

The court heard the school did not report the accident until a year after it happened, instead of within the 10 days required by law.

Magistrates also decided the school should have assessed whether the canopy could take the caretaker’s weight before sending him to work up there.

Matthew Tackling, an inspector from the Health and Safety Executive, which brought the case against the governing body of the school, said: “In this case an employee suffered serious injury that has affected his life since and is only now beginning to improve.

“Falls from height are the biggest killer of people at work and proper planning and assessment of work at height is vital to identify the risks involved and safe ways of working.

“This should include consideration of the strength of the materials anyone may stand on.”

Headteacher of the school Carol Mason said: “We regret the accident happened and are pleased that the member of staff appears to have made a good recovery.

“We have recently undertaken a Health and Safety audit of the school and improved our procedures.”

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