Firm fined after elderly Welshpool worker died in roof fall

An estate agents has been fined £75,000 after an elderly maintenance contractor died when he fell from a roof while carrying out work for them.

Roger Jary, 79, from Welshpool, was carrying out minor repairs to the carport and gutter of a rented bungalow in Little Henfaes Drive in the town on August 10, 2010, when he fell and died.

At the time he was a self-employed contractor for Morris, Marshall & Poole estate agents, which has branches in Welshpool and Newtown, Chester Crown Court was told.

On Tuesday the court heard that a plastic roof panel Mr Jary was moving gave way and he fell about two metres to the ground below.

A Health and Safety Executive investigation found Morris, Marshall & Poole contracted Mr Jary to carry out the work, but failed to ensure it was properly planned and organised, or that the contractor was competent to carry out the work.

The firm, based in Broad Street, Welshpool, which managed the property on behalf of the landlord, was prosecuted by the HSE.

It admitted breaching a section of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £75,000 and costs of £11,153.95

HSE inspector Chris Wilcox said: "Roger Jary might be alive today if simple safety measures had been put in place.

The agents today expressed its sincere condolences to Mr Jary's family.