An Oxfordshire-based construction company has been fined £120,000 after a carpenter died from a fall from height while carrying out refurbishment work
W G Carter Limited, of Appleton, was sentenced following the death of 59-year-old Richard “Felix” Roper, who fell from height while working at a domestic property in Gloucestershire.
The work had not been properly planned, or measures put in place, which is alarming, as falls from height remain a leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry.
HSE principal inspector James Lucas said: “Due to the failings of this company, a man lost his life.
“Every year, workers are killed or suffer life-changing injuries because work at height has not been properly planned or suitable safeguards have not been put in place.”
Large parts of the first-floor structure were missing at the time of the fall
Mr Roper, a father of two, was carrying out work on the first floor of Manor Barn House, Nether Westcote, on 30 August 2022, where extensive repairs were underway to replace rotten floor joists and floorboards.
He had been tasked with replacing damaged floor joists while other workers removed sections of flooring in the same area. Large parts of the first-floor structure had been stripped back, leaving open gaps between joists.
In addition, some joists were missing altogether or unsecured.
The fall from height caused serious head injuries
While working in these conditions, Mr Roper fell from the first floor to the concrete ground floor below.
He sustained severe head injuries and died in hospital the following day.
“Had appropriate controls been in place, Felix’s death could have been prevented,” Lucas stated.
HSE investigation found several serious failings
A joint investigation by the Health and Safety Executive and Gloucestershire Police found that the work at height had not been properly planned, appropriately supervised, or carried out safely.
The investigation identified several serious failings. Workers, including Mr Roper, accessed areas of the first floor where flooring and structural supports had been removed, despite insufficient measures to prevent falls. At the same time, other workers continued to remove floorboards, increasing the risk of falling from height.
The investigation found that W G Carter Limited had failed to adequately plan the work and implement suitable measures to prevent workers from falling.
After the incident, the company adopted a safer method of working, installing floor joists from below using appropriate work-at-height equipment and preventing access to the first floor while the work was being undertaken.
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