A roofing company which has been trading for more than two decades has been fined after serious safety failings were discovered during a routine inspection.

Brunwin Professional Roofing Services Ltd was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive after an inspection at a detached house in Croydon on April 28, 2009.

An inspector found the scaffolding was poorly positioned, with a gap large enough for the two workers on site to fall through. The company was also removing boards made of asbestos without the mandatory licence or notifying the HSE.

HSE Inspector Bose Ogunsekan, said: “Falls from height are the biggest cause of fatal injury in the construction industry and recent years have seen sharp increases in cases of ill health linked to asbestos in trades such as roofing.

“Brunwin Professional Roofing Services failed to carry out work in a safe way. Major injuries and fatal accidents can occur on small jobs as well as large schemes. I hope the result of this case indicates the importance of managing health and safety on what was considered to be a small project.”

Brunwin Professional Roofing Services Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching safety regulations at City of London Magistrates Court. It was fined £6,000 for breaching the regulations. Full costs of £2,406 were also awarded against the company, which has been trading for 23 years.