Suspended prison sentence after fatal fall

Manchester Magistrates Court heard how Tony Geldart, a 63-year-old father of two, was employed by Roy Stanuton to carry out roof work on his self-build detached domestic property in Hale, Greater Manchester. On 18 July 2017, Mr Geldart fell 2.6 metres from the roof which had no fall protection measures in place. He sustained serious neck & head injuries from which he died three days later in hospital.

An investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found that Roy Staunton was responsible for removing some of the scaffolding himself despite not being competent to do so. He did not replace any means of fall protection and failed to ensure that working from height was carried out in a safe manner.

Mr Roy Staunton of Egerton Drive, Hale, Greater Manchester pleaded guilty to breaching of Regulation 4 (1) of the Working at Height Regulations 2005 and was  sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered to pay costs of £16,529.46

After the hearing HSE inspector Phil Redman said: “Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities in this country and the risks associated with working at height are well known. This tragic incident was preventable by having suitable fall protection in place.”