Two men have avoided jail after a worker died from their injuries after falling through fragile roof panels while carrying out installation work.
The worker was carrying out over-cladding work, which involved the installation of new roofing material over an existing fragile asbestos cement roof, at an industrial building on West Chirton (South) Industrial Estate, North Shields, on November 16, 2015.
The worker, who fell over five metres through fragile roof panels, sustained serious injuries which subsequently proved fatal. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) later found that the method of work was unsafe. It determined that there were inadequate precautions to prevent or mitigate against falls from or through the roof as well as an effective assessment of risk, selection and use of appropriate work equipment, safe system of work and effective supervision.
