A ROOFING company has been ordered to pay £25,000 in fines and costs for breaching health and safety regulations that led to a worker’s death.

Maidstone Crown Court heard how experienced Rainham tiler Alan Mannerings died from head injuries a week after falling from scaffolding at a house being extended for contract manager Alan Swift.

At the point where Mr Mannerings fell, there was no handrail and the scaffolding was just one board wide, the court heard.

After the case, Mr Mannerings wife Julie, of Elmstone Road, Rainham, described how she now wanted to move on after a 19-month wait for the hearing.

She said: “I don’t feel anything bad against the firm but I am glad that justice has been done. Now we can try to put all this behind us.

“I hope other companies will take notice of this and ensure that this does not happen to another family.”

The court heard scaffolding around the house in Charlesford Avenue, Kingswood, Maidstone, had been erected by an experienced company but adapted, at Mr Swift’s request, by someone without skills in that capacity.

Following Mr Mannerings death on July 11, 2001, Mr Swift, 35, and Swift Roofing Contracts Ltd, of Spital Street, Dartford, were charged with manslaughter and offences under the Health and Safety Act.

Manslaughter charges were dropped and Mr Swift and the company admitted the health and safety offences.

Mr Swift, of Charlesford Avenue, was fined £2,500 for failing to ensure that safeguards were in place and £7,500 for failing to prevent persons falling from a height of two metres or more. He was ordered to pay £2,500 towards the costs of the prosecution. Swift Roofing Contracts was fined £5,000 and £15,000 respectively for the offences, plus £5,000 towards costs.

Judge Andrew Patience, QC, said: “I accept as far as the company is concerned that 90 people rely on the company for their livelihood, and that it is a long-established company developed through hard work, with a good safety record.”