Loft firm fined £25,000 after employee falls from ladder

A loft conversion company has been fined £25,000 after a worker was injured when he fell from a ladder while carrying a 25kg piece of chipboard.

David Morgan, from Rhondda, broke his ankle and when he fell from an extension ladder while working on a loft conversion.

He also suffered facial injuries when the 2.4 x 1.2m piece of chipboard, weighing 25kg, fell on top of him.

Loft conversion firm Allied Welsh, from Del Guerra Court, pleaded guilty to health and safety breaches at the Bridgend Magistrate’s Court, and was fined £25,000 and ordered to pay costs of £8,600.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector Steve Richardson said the company did not have a safe method of getting materials to the loft space where they were working.

"Our investigation showed that the company had previous advice from HSE, but did not heed it on this occasion, and there was a systematic failure to provide a safe working practices in this particular area,” he said.

"Mr Morgan has been seriously affected by this incident, even after all this time, and his case must serve as a warning to others to make safety priority while working at height, and using ladders."