Man 'lucky to be alive' after falling through barn roof - Lancashire employer fined by HSE
Falls from height remain one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities.
A Lancashire-based construction and landscaping company has been fined £20,000 after a worker suffered serious injuries when he fell through the fragile roof of a barn.
Josh Huddleston, 47, who was employed by AJ Riley Landscapes and Building Limited of Caton, was replacing a damaged skylight on the roof of the barn when the incident occurred on February 24 2025. He suffered fractures to his ribs, vertebrae and pelvis after falling approximately 10 metres.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that AJ Riley Landscapes and Building Limited had failed to adequately plan the work and ensure appropriate control measures were in place to prevent Mr Huddleston from falling through the fragile roof.
The investigation also found that workers had not received sufficient training to ensure they were competent in the use of the control measures identified in the company’s risk assessment.
HSE guidance states that employers must ensure work at height is properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out by competent people. Where work at height is necessary, employers must take suitable and sufficient measures to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, anyone falling a distance liable to cause personal injury.
AJ Riley Landscapes and Building Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £4,955 in costs at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on November 3.
Following the hearing, HSE inspector Matthew Shepherd said: “Falls from height remain one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities. It is fortunate that Mr Huddleston survived this fall, which could easily have resulted in fatal injuries.
“The risks associated with working at height on fragile roof surfaces are well known. AJ Riley Landscapes and Building Limited failed to ensure appropriate control measures were in place to prevent a worker falling through the roof.
“Suitable precautions are readily available, and this incident could have been prevented through proper planning, risk assessment and the implementation of effective control measures.
“This prosecution should serve as a reminder to all employers and contractors undertaking work at height that they have a duty to protect their workers. HSE will not hesitate to take enforcement action against those who fail to meet their legal responsibilities.”