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PHW · Working at height · 2026-08-06

Len Smith & Son Building Contractors Limited fined £20,000 after a bricklayer fell through a fragile roof sheet

Beadnell, Northumberland · North Tyneside Magistrates Court

What happened

On 5 February 2025 a 24-year-old bricklayer fell through a polycarbonate roof sheet while conducting repairs at a farm in Seahouses, dropping approximately eight feet to concrete below. Suitable precautions for working on a fragile roof had not been taken.

Injuries: Two broken vertebrae and a fractured sternum requiring surgery.

The breach

Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

The sentence

  • Fine: £20,000
  • Costs: £5,744
HSE inspector

“Falls from height continue to be the leading cause of workplace fatalities in Great Britain, with 31 people losing their lives in the past year.”

What would have prevented it

Fragile roof surfaces such as polycarbonate sheeting need proper edge protection and safe access arrangements, not ad hoc repairs.

How PHW helps

The machines, packs and quizzes that fit this kind of site.

Sector

Training and H&S evidence for construction sites

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Safety pack

Working at height

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Safety pack

Concrete, cement and mortar

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Quiz

Could you show a site manager today, in writing, that each operator is authorised to use your machines?

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Source: HSE press release, Building contractor fined after employee fell through a fragile roof