A COMPANY has been fined £36,000 after workers were spotted working at height without appropriate safety measures.

Employees of Survey Roofing Group, based in Billericay, were working on the roof of a Homebase store in Wales. They were 12.5 metres off the ground and the roof had unprotected and potentially fragile roof lights.

An inspector from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) witnessed the incident and noted the absence of sufficient safety measures in place.

An investigation by the HSE found the work created a risk of injury to employees from falling from or through the roof, and to members of the public from falling objects.

The investigation found suitable and sufficient measures had not been taken by the company to protect employees, such as completing the work from the basket of a mobile elevated work platform and that members of the public had not been protected from falling objects, by closing the store or cordoning off below the work area.

Survey Roofing Group Ltd and the Survey Roofing Group companies, which share many of the same directors, had already received previous advice and enforcement from HSE regarding unsafe work at height.

Survey Roofing Group Ltd of Kingfisher House, Billericay, Essex pleaded guilty to breaching Section 6(3) and 10(2) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, and has been fined £36,666 and ordered to pay costs of £28,856.39.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Paul Newton said: “Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities in this country and the risks associated with working at height are well-known.

"All work at height should be properly planned, including short-term reactive work, so workers and members of the public are not put at risk.

“Commercial clients and companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

Survey Roofing Group Ltd did not respond to the Echo's request for comment.

The HSE is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety.