Community order of 200 hours’ work for builder after man fell through barn roof

A self-employed builder has been told to complete 200 hours unpaid work after a man fell more than 13 feet through a barn roof in Lancashire.

James Dargan-Cole, 25, of Todmorden, had failed to put arrangements in place to either avoid the working at height completely or prevent a fall while doing so.

Jacob Thomas (29), who was a self-employed labourer, suffered serious injuries at Great House Farm, Great House Road, on April 13, 2023. The incident happened during his first day on the job, when he had been removing wooden boarding behind the roof of a lower barn structure.

Mr Thomas took a step and fell through one of the skylights to the floor below. His horrific injuries included a brain haemorrhage as well as multiple fractures including to his skull, the sternum, the spine and the shoulder.

An investigation by HSE found that as well as failing to consider the work at height, the roof in question also contained asbestos fibres.

Dargan-Cole lacked the understanding of the risks and the associated controls to manage the risks while dismantling the lower barn structure.

Asbestos can be found in buildings built before 2000 and is still the biggest workplace killer in Britain, causing around 5,000 deaths every year. When disturbed, asbestos releases tiny fibres that can cause fatal lung diseases and cancers. 

James Dargan-Cole, of Eastwood Road, Todmorden, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

He was handed a 12-month community order with 200 hours unpaid work in the community and ordered to pay £2,500 in costs at Leeds Magistrates’ Court on April 1, 2025.

Principal inspector, Paul Thompson, from HSE, said: “Mr Thomas suffered horrific injuries due to the failure to ensure protective fall prevention or collective fall mitigation measures were in place. These are well known and long standing within the industry.

“This incident came about as a result of poor planning, management and monitoring of activities during work at height.

“I hope this case serves as an example and a reminder to others about the potential deadly risks they often undertake and how they should be approached.”

This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Matthew Reynolds, who was supported by HSE paralegal officer Rebecca Forman.