First fine under the Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008

1st Response Roofing Limited is the first company to be fined under the Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008. They were fined £23,500 and ordered to pay £3,452 costs following an incident where one of their employees fell nearly four metres and sustained serious head injuries.

In January 2009, Adam Lambert, a roofer employed by 1st Response Roofing Ltd, fell through an uncovered skylight. He fell two metres striking a tower scaffold and then fell a further two metres onto a concrete floor, where he hit his head on a metal vehicle lift fracturing his skull. The tower scaffold had been erected by employees who were not trained so no handrail had been fitted and the platform was too low to break the fall.

The Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008 came into play as two of the three breaches continued on the day after the fall. Therefore, the Courts were able to use their powers to award higher penalties than those usually imposed in cases of the same nature.