Yorkshire company fined over £1.8m after two workers injured in fall from height

Food manufacturing company, Karro Foods Ltd, has today been sentenced after two workers suffered serious injuries when they fell over 4 metres through a rooflight.

Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 13 April 2016, the two workers were investigating a leak from the roof at the Malton site of Karro Foods Ltd, which the workers did not realise contained several rooflights. The workers were walking closely together and both stood on the same roof light which consequently fell through due to the weight.

One worker suffered four fractured ribs, a punctured lung, and muscular contusions to his outer right thigh. The other suffered a fractured skull, muscular injuries to his right leg and injuries inside his ear which cause ongoing problems with his balance, memory and mental health.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the roof was made of asbestos cement and had several rooflights situated along it but they were not visible due to the build-up of moss and dirt which had accumulated over the years. Employees had also not been made aware of them.

Karro Foods Ltd of Hugden Way, Norton Grove Industrial Estate, Malton, Yorkshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company has been fined £1,866,000 and ordered to pay £8,019 in costs.

 After the hearing, HSE inspector Mark Slater commented: “This was a wholly avoidable incident, caused by the failure of the company to provide adequate controls against the risks arising from working at height.

“Consideration of roof fragility and rooflights, visible or not, should be made, especially on older buildings.”

Notes to Editors:

  1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk[1]
  2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/ [2
  3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk[3]
  4. Please see the link below to the page on HSE’s website that is the best guide to doing it the right way: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg401.pdf