The company of a worker who suffered serious injuries after falling from height has been fined more than £95,000.

The employee fell more than three meters through the opening of a roof he was working on in Wandle Road, Wandsworth.

He sustained four fractured vertebrae, a fractured rib and a scalp wound which rendered him unable to work for a period.

West Hill Projects Ltd, of Seymour Road, pleaded guilty to a breach in regulation and was fined £95,604.80 and ordered to pay costs of £988.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that West Hill Projects had ‘failed to take any measures to prevent people on site from falling through the opening in the flat roof’.

Owen Rowley, HSE inspector, said: The risks associated with work at height are well known throughout the construction industry.

“West Hill Projects Ltd failed to control the risk on site and one of its workers suffered serious injuries as a result.

“It is vitally important that those in control of work at height implement suitable and sufficient measures to prevent falls. The simple step of installing edge protection around the opening could have prevented this incident from occurring.”

Jonathan Stevens, director at West Hill Projects, said the company regarded health and safety with "the utmost importance."

He said: “This has been the only notifiable accident in the company’s history and moreover the first in the owner or director’s 30 year record of running a small to medium sized construction business.

“West Hill Projects reported the accident immediately to the HSE and co-operated fully throughout the investigation.

“The company has learnt from this incident and is providing further training to its site management and workforce to ensure the correct safety systems are in place.

“The company is very thankful that the worker involved recovered fully from his injury and was able to return to work within a few weeks.”