Roofing Company Fined, Director Sentenced for Safety Violations

A roofing company has been penalized and its director received a suspended prison sentence after workers’ safety was jeopardized during a roof renovation project in Surrey. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reported that personnel were observed working on the roof of a residence located on Flint Hill, Dorking, without the provision of scaffolding or edge protection. Weather Master Roofing Limited and its director, Jack Avanzo, also known as Jack Avenzo, were sentenced at Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Monday, as confirmed by the regulator. A spokesperson for the HSE stated that employees faced the danger of falling from elevated positions, and no safety equipment, such as harnesses, was in place to prevent such incidents. The spokesperson further noted: “Workers were also observed using the lights from their phones and torches while working on the property at night.” According to the HSE, Weather Master Roofing Limited received an improvement notice in February 2023, coinciding with the month the workers’ activities were observed. This notice mandated the company to enhance its procedures for planning, executing, supervising, and monitoring the roofing work; however, the HSE reported that the company did not adhere to these requirements. HSE inspector Stephanie Hickford-Smith commented: “Falls from height are still the single biggest cause of work-related deaths in Great Britain. “Support and practical guidance on how to comply with the law is publicly available, free of charge. There is no excuse for putting workers lives at risk.”” The HSE indicated that Weather Master Roofing Limited, located at Muswell Hill, Broadway, London, admitted guilt to violations of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The firm received a fine of £4,000, along with an order to cover £1,500 in costs and a victim surcharge of £1,600. Mr. Avanzo similarly admitted to infringing the pertinent legislation, according to the HSE. He received a six-month prison sentence, which was suspended for a period of two years, and was mandated to perform 120 hours of community service. Additionally, he was prohibited from serving as a company director for three years and instructed to pay £1,500 in costs.