Construction Firm Fined £66,000 After Worker's Fall Through Unprotected Roof Light
Published on 08/07/2026 at 14:07 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
A London construction company has been ordered to pay more than £66,000 in fines and costs after a worker suffered life-changing injuries falling through an unprotected roof light — a case that underscores the construction industry's persistent struggle with falls from height.
Fall at Fulham Site
The incident took place on November 10, 2023, at a construction site on Langthorne Street in Fulham, west London. The worker fell through a roof light that had not been properly secured or protected.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Lowndes Lumb Construction Limited failed to implement essential fall prevention measures. The company had not put in place physical safeguards such as scaffolding, guard rails, or crash decks, and had failed to provide workers with safety harnesses to mitigate the risk of falling from height.
Court Ruling
At a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court on August 3, 2026, the company was found in breach of Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations. The court imposed a fine of £60,000 and ordered the contractor to pay additional costs of £6,070.
The Work at Height Regulations require employers to ensure that work is properly planned, supervised, and carried out safely — including taking measures to prevent falls through fragile surfaces such as roof lights.
Persistent Industry Risk
The prosecution comes amid heightened scrutiny of workplace safety in the British construction sector. HSE data for the 2025/26 period shows falls from height remain a leading cause of workplace death, accounting for around 25% of all worker fatalities in Great Britain.
The HSE said the injuries in the Fulham case were preventable had the contractor followed standard safety protocols for roof work. The ruling serves as a reminder to the industry of the legal obligation to provide adequate protection when employees work near fragile surfaces or openings.
Separate Safety Case
In a separate legal development earlier this summer, the Inner London Crown Court reached a verdict in a long-running case involving a 2018 fatality at a London penthouse. Architect Foster + Partners was cleared of safety breaches, while two other firms were found guilty in connection with a window that fell 25 storeys.
