A company, which manufactures signage and displays for high street retailers, received a fine as a result of a worker falling to his death through a roof light.

Richard Perry, 43, was covering roof lights with blackout vinyl in the summer of 2014 at Whiteghyll Plastics Ltd, whilst working with colleagues. This was an attempt to try and block out the sunlight, in order to reduce the heat within the factory. Mr. Perry fell 5.5 metres through a fragile roof light to the fabrications department below.
The company failed to adequately supervise Mr. Perry and another employee. There were numerous missed opportunities by several managers to stop them from working on the insecure roof. The HSE prosecuted the firm following the fatal incident.

Whiteghyll Plastics Ltd of City Road, located in Bradford, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, therefore being fined £120,000 with £37,655 costs by Bradford Crown Court.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Andrea Jones stated: “Two employees were on the roof for some time with no precautions in place to prevent falling through fragile roof material or off the open edge of the roof. This accident would not have happened if management had appropriately supervised these two employees.

“Falls from height, particularly from roofs is the highest cause of fatal accidents.”

Richard was a father of two, his wife was pregnant with their second son when he died, and she expressed her grief, saying: “Richard was so looking forward to meeting his second son. Sadly he never got the chance to do that. Every time I look into his eyes I feel an immense sadness that he never got to meet his amazing Daddy.
“Not only did my boys lose their Daddy but I lost my husband, my best friend and my soul mate. I feel as if my heart was ripped out and died with him. I kissed him goodbye on Friday 13 June 2014 and he never came home.
“I never expected this to happen. Nobody should die at work and leave behind a young family and wife. He had his whole life ahead of him.”