Scots worker left with memory loss after horror fall through roof as company director fined

A company director has been fined £2,000 after a worker fractured his skull in a horror fall at a Scottish farm.

William Swanson, who traded as LTS Construction, was working with two employees at Wester Olrig Farm near Thurso, Caithness, building and repairing sheds.

The men were tasked with replacing damaged cement roof sheets and Perspex roof lights of a grain store.

They had used a ladder to get on the roof and one man had safely gained access to the area.

But when the second worker, 52, stepped on a moss covered Perspex roof light, it gave way and sent him crashing down 15ft to the concrete floor below.

He suffered a fractured skull, broken ribs, a broken pelvis and a broken wrist as a result of the fall and has been unable to work since the incident in September 2019.

A court heard he remains under the care of an orthopaedic specialist and suffers from short term memory loss.

Following the incident, a probe by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Swanson, of Wick, Caithness, had failed to ensure the work was properly planned and that the appropriate risk control measures were in place.

These could have included perimeter edge protection, crawling boards or staging on the roof to spread the weight of people walking on the roof and safety nets beneath the roof.

Swanson, 51, appeared at Wick Sheriff Court earlier this week and admitted breaching health and safety laws.

He was fined £2,000.

The court heard LTS Construction ceased trading in August 2020.

One employee fell through the roof of a grain store and was left with multiple broken bones. (MSN)

Alistair Duncan, head of the Health and Safety Investigation Unit, said: "This was an accident that resulted in severe injuries that could have been avoided if William Swanson had put in place the appropriate planning and protective measures.

"This incident could well have proved fatal and it has irrevocably changed a man's life.

"Falls from height are usually the greatest single cause of death and serious injury to workers within the construction industry.

"Hopefully this prosecution will remind other employers that failure to fulfil their obligations can have severe and potentially tragic consequences and that they will be held to account for their failings."

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond. Sign up to our daily newsletter here .