Company fined following death of roofer

At City of London Magistrates' Court on Tuesday last week, K-Line Logistics (UK) Ltd admitted an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The company was fined £15,000 and was ordered to pay costs of £4,752.

Mr Gibbs had not received any training as a roofer and had been given only limited instruction before starting work on this job.

He fell seven metres to the floor and although he was taken to hospital in an air ambulance following the incident in Feltham, he died from his injuries.

The group of workers had been contracted to carry out repairs on the roof by K-Line Logistics (UK) Ltd, who at no point tries to assess the competence of the contractors being used.

Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) sets out simple precautions which should have been taken.

As the company did not take these steps, its failings contributed to the death of Mr Gibbs.

HSE inspector Owen Yorath said: "This fatality was set in motion when K-Line Logistics UK Ltd contracted the job of replacing the warehouse roof lights but failed to plan, risk assess, supervise or ensure the competence of those they contracted to do the work.

"It is vital that employers take steps to assess the competence of those they contract to undertake work, and on their premises, particularly high risk work such as work on or around fragile roofs."