UNITED KINGDOM - Window Cleaning Company Fined When Worker Falls through Skylight

United Kingdom-based Central Window Cleaning Company Ltd. has been fined more than $100,000 (USD) (65,000 pounds) due to alleged safety offenses that led to one of its workers falling through a skylight at a local shopping center, according to information from the Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, which brought charges against the company.

The charges were brought against the company in the Southend Magistrates Court. In addition to the fine, the company faces approximately $14,000 in court costs, to be paid to the Council.

The incident occurred on June 4, 2010, when Tony Rose, 44, of Sittingbourne, Kent, United Kingdom, was working on the roof of the Royals Shopping Centre in Southend-on-Sea, United Kingdom, to clean the landmark dome at the top of the building. He stepped backwards on to a plastic skylight, which the Council alleges gave way beneath him. Rose fell three and half meters down on to a stairwell, and then a further three meters down the stairs and was bruised extensively, according to the release.

"We brought this prosecution because of the very serious health and safety issues which led to this incident," says Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's executive councillor for Public Protection, Waste and Transport, Tony Cox. "Mr Rose was exceptionally lucky not to have been more seriously injured or even killed … The firm failed to carry out a suitable risk assessment, which would have clearly identified the fragile surface, and also failed to take heed of the strict rules about working at height."

Source: http://www.usgnn.com/newsClean20120315.htm