A five-metre fall that left a man badly injured may have been prevented through a combination of roof rails and a man anchor or other such harness, according to the HSE.
The incident occurred on January 30th 2013 on Dorset Road in Bromley, when a 22-year-old Lewisham man fell from the roof of a domestic property while working to replace lead flashings.
He fractured his back and his pelvis, and broke an arm, while a fellow colleague also working on the roof was placed in similar danger of suffering a fall from height.
HSE inspector Toby Webb said: “This was an entirely preventable incident.
“The risks of falling during roof work are clear and there is readily available guidance from HSE and others on the action to be taken to prevent falls.”
In its investigation, the HSE found no safety harnesses or man anchors, and no roof rails or other edge protection to reduce the risk of a fall.
The roofing company involved have now been fined £7,000 with almost £2,000 in costs, following a plea of guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005.