02 September 2020
The Health and Safety Inspectorate has recently investigated an accident at work, in which an employee sustained serious injuries when he fell through a roof light while cleaning a roof. He will be off work for approximately 8 weeks as a result.
The Health and Safety Inspectorate would like to remind all those carrying out work on roofs that the dangers presented by fragile surfaces, including the roof surface itself as well as roof lights, must be carefully assessed and controlled before work starts.
In this instance the work being carried out was a relatively small, short duration cleaning job which the employee had been asked to do, without his employer’s knowledge, whilst he was at the property undertaking some gardening duties.
The accident clearly highlights the dangers associated with unplanned roof work and the risks posed by roof lights, which can often be very difficult to see in certain light conditions or when hidden by moss, dirt or paint. UV exposure, environmental pollution, age and the internal building environment can also often result in the roof light becoming very brittle. The photos below were taken shortly after the accident and shows how the roof light may not have been obvious from above.
Fig 1 & 2: Photos taken of the roof where the accident occurred
Effective precautions are required for all work on or near potentially fragile surfaces, no matter how short the duration or whether the work concerns construction, maintenance, cleaning or repair.
Deciding on the most appropriate mean of controlling the risk of falls from height will depend on a number of factors including the height at which work is being carried out, the nature and duration of the work and the general working environment.
Further guidance on fragile roofs and safe working practices (on the UK HSE website)
gov.je