By Marcus Hale · Published 19 June 2026 · 3 min read
Principal contractor fined £8,000 after joiner left paralysed in skylight fall
JLM Solutions Limited was fined £8,000 on 26 May 2026 after a subcontracted joiner fell through an unsecured roof opening, resulting in a complete spinal cord injury. Adam Kirkpatrick, 53, stepped on an unfastened plyboard covering a skylight at a domestic property in Altrincham. This life-changing incident highlights the catastrophic risks of inadequate planning for work at height and poor site supervision by principal contractors.
Background
Kirkpatrick had been subcontracted by JLM Solutions Limited to construct a timber frame for a new roof. On 22 November 2023, the worker was walking across a piece of plyboard that had been placed over a roof light opening in the structure. The board had not been secured and gave way beneath him, causing him to fall to the floor below. Kirkpatrick's son, the only other person present on site after the rest of the workforce had left for the day, called emergency services. The fall left Kirkpatrick permanently paralysed from the waist down, alongside a head injury, fractured ribs, and a fractured sternum. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) confirmed that principal contractor JLM Solutions Limited, based in Manchester, failed to properly plan, manage, and monitor the roof work.
Industry implications
The prosecution reinforces that principal contractors cannot delegate their legal responsibilities for safety planning to subcontractors. Under Regulation 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, the principal contractor must ensure that protective measures are actively implemented. Placing loose boards over voids is a common but highly illegal practice that routinely leads to fatalities and serious injuries. JLM Solutions Limited pleaded guilty at Warrington Magistrates' Court and was ordered to pay £5,850 in costs plus a £2,000 victim surcharge alongside the £8,000 fine.
What contractors should do now
All floor and roof voids must be protected immediately upon creation. Temporary covers must be structurally sound, securely fixed to prevent dislodgement, and clearly marked with warnings such as "Hole Below". Alternatively, rigid edge protection should be installed around the perimeter of the opening. Site managers must personally verify that fall prevention measures are in place before authorising any access to roof levels, even on small domestic projects.
Analysis
HSE Inspector Karen Farley addressed the outcome, stating that falls from height remain one of the leading causes of workplace death and serious injury. "This prosecution highlights the importance of properly managing work at height activities," Farley noted. The disparity between the severity of the injury, a lifetime of paralysis for the victim, and the £8,000 fine often reflects sentencing guidelines that account for a company's financial turnover. However, the outcome serves as a brutal reminder of the devastating human cost when basic safety protocols are ignored.
What happens next
Subcontractors working on domestic sites must demand to see the principal contractor's construction phase plan before commencing high-risk activities. The HSE will maintain its strict enforcement policy regarding falls from height, with inspectors instructed to issue immediate prohibition notices if unsecured void covers are discovered during routine visits.
Sources
- HSE Enforcement Register — Health and Safety Executive
