By Sarah Donnelly · Published 15 November 2026 · 3 min read
A Lancashire construction and landscaping firm has been fined £20,000 after a worker fell 10 metres through a fragile barn roof, sustaining multiple fractures. AJ Riley Landscapes and Building Ltd pleaded guilty to health and safety breaches following the incident, which the Health and Safety Executive said was caused by a failure to adequately plan the work.\n\n## Background\n\nThe incident occurred on 24 February 2025. Josh Huddleston, 47, was replacing a damaged skylight on a barn roof when the structure gave way. He fell approximately 10 metres to the ground below. The fall resulted in severe injuries, including fractures to his ribs, vertebrae and pelvis. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that the company had failed to implement appropriate control measures to prevent a fall through the fragile roof surface. Furthermore, the regulator discovered that workers had not received sufficient training to use the controls that were actually identified in the company risk assessment. AJ Riley Landscapes and Building Ltd, based in Caton, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The firm was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £4,955 in costs at Warrington Magistrates Court on 3 November 2026.\n\n## Industry implications\n\nFalls from height remain one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities and major injuries in the UK construction sector. This prosecution underscores the financial and legal consequences of treating risk assessments as mere paperwork. The fact that controls were identified but workers were not trained to use them highlights a critical breakdown in site management. The fine and associated costs represent a significant financial penalty for a regional contractor, demonstrating the courts' willingness to punish poor safety planning.\n\n## What contractors should do now\n\nPrincipal contractors and site managers must ensure that risk assessments are actively communicated to all operatives before work commences. Firms must verify that workers are not only provided with the correct safety equipment, such as crawling boards or safety nets, but are also explicitly trained in their use. Site supervisors must physically check that control measures are in place before allowing access to fragile roofs.\n\n## Analysis\n\nThis case represents a classic failure of safety implementation. Writing a risk assessment is only the first step in compliance. The Health and Safety Executive has repeatedly demonstrated zero tolerance for companies that fail to translate written safety procedures into practical, on-site protection. The £20,000 fine reflects the severity of the injuries sustained and serves as a stark reminder that the regulator will prosecute when basic work at height regulations are ignored.\n\n## What happens next\n\nThe Health and Safety Executive is expected to continue its targeted inspections of roof work and fragile surfaces throughout the winter months. Contractors undertaking agricultural or industrial roof repairs should anticipate unannounced site visits. Companies must ensure their training records are up to date and that site supervisors are rigorously enforcing work at height protocols.
Sources
- Contractor fined £20,000 after worker injured in barn roof fall — Construction News
- Construction and landscaping company fined after worker falls through fragile barn roof — HSE Media Centre
