Aston Villa FC and contractors fined over worker fall

Aston Villa FC has been fined after a workman fell through a roof at its training ground.

The 34-year-old contractor was hurt during demolition of an old building at the Bodymoor Heath site in June 2007.

He broke bones in his heel and and was off work for more than six months after he fell three metres (9ft).

The club was fined £1,350 and ordered to pay £1,610 costs after admitting breaching working at height regulations in the Health and Safety at Work Act.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said the contractor he was working for, Mechanical Cleaning Services Ltd of Aston, Birmingham, and Aston Villa FC failed to inform workers of the dangers of working at height.

The company and its managing director Damon Roe were each fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £1,610 costs.

Stratford-upon-Avon Magistrates' Court was told an internal ladder used for getting to the roof of the building was out of use at the ground near Sutton Coldfield.

The HSE said Roe decided to use a ladder against the front of the building to access the roof's plant room.

But he and the football club failed to inform workers of the dangers or how to avoid the risk of falling through the fragile rooflights.

HSE inspector Carol Southerd said after the hearing: "If the internal ladder had been used then this incident would not have happened.

"There was clear failure to warn the victim or his colleague of the dangerous condition of the roof or to provide safe access to the tank."