Watch out! You're on camera…

Posted on January 18^th 2012

Although most liability insurance customers are reputable, some have been given a stark warning about ensuring the health and safety of their employees. This was after an incident was caught on camera of a roofer making a blatant breach of employee safety.

Ross Singleton, owner of Ross's Roofing in Lancashire, was photographed by a Health and Safety Executive inspector who came across them in action. Mr Singleton and two of his employees were carrying out repairs on a roof of a hairdressing salon with virtually no safety measures in place to guard against falls.

The inspector even served a notice prohibiting them from working and although they complied initially, the three men returned later to carry on working in exactly the same manner.

Even with liability insurance, such a breach of safety rules could have devastating consequences for the health - and possibly even the lives - of workers. In 2011, 38 employees were killed and over 4,000 injured in the UK because of falls. In this case, the public had also been put at risk as they were working over a public high street.

Ross Singleton, who may or may not have been covered by liability insurance, was fined £650 for the incident.

Related links

H&SE press release

Other liability insurance news stories

• Major fine for worker death at global company
• HSE takes action after fireball at industrial unit
• Fatal fall leads to a hefty fine for construction companies