Construction company fined £60,000 after worker falls through roof light

The following is an abridgement of an article originally published by HSE Press Office.

Incident Summary

On 10 November 2023, a male worker suffered life-changing injuries while carrying out roof refurbishment work at a domestic property in Fulham, London. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the worker was passing materials through an open, unprotected roof light when he fell through the opening onto the concrete floor below.

Investigation and Sentencing

An HSE investigation determined that the employing construction company failed to implement suitable measures to protect workers from the risk of falling from height, noting the absence of scaffolding, guard rails, an internal crash deck, or harness systems.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. On 3 August 2026, the company was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay £6,070 in costs at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

Inspector’s Comment

HSE Inspector Lydia Edwards stated,

"Falls from height remain one of the leading causes of workplace death and serious injury. The latest HSE statistics show they accounted for around a quarter of all worker deaths in Great Britain during 2025/26. This was a wholly avoidable incident that resulted in a worker suffering life-changing injuries. Had suitable measures been in place to prevent a fall, this incident could have been prevented. If you are working at height and think there is a risk that someone or something could fall, you must take action to control that risk."