The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) was alerted after workers had been seen carrying out roof replacement work without any scaffolding. The regulator identified unsafe work on a domestic roof being worked on by Steven Hendry, 40, from Liskeard, prompting HSE inspector Hatti Shipp to serve a prohibition notice on him.
As a result, further information was requested from Hendry, but he failed to comply with the request, which was made under Section 20 of the Health and Safety at Work Act. HSE guidance states that individuals and companies must co-operate with inspections and investigations.
Hendry, trading as Apex Roofing & Property Services at the time, was verbally abusive towards the inspector, the HSE said. As well as ignoring the request for further information, he went on to do further work without scaffolding, ignoring the prohibition notice. He then chose not to attend court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
HSE defines work-related violence as 鈥榓ny incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work鈥�. This can include verbal abuse or threats, including face to face, online and via telephone and physical attacks. It can include violence from members of the public, customers, clients, patients, service users and students towards a person at work.
Steven Hendry, t/a Apex Roofing & Property Services of Marthus Court, Liskeard, pleaded guilty to section 20(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, Section 20(c). He was fined 拢400 and ordered to pay costs of 拢3,852 at Plymouth Magistrates Court on 25th November 2025. The court also approved an application made by HSE under section 42 of HSWA for Hendry to provide the information requested under section 20. He has until 1st 聽March 2026 to do this.
HSE inspector, Hatti Shipp, said: 鈥淧art of our role to prevent further risk of injury is to follow-up with companies or individuals who work unsafely, ensuring they are held accountable for improving conditions for workers and demonstrating to the HSE that they have done so.
鈥淚n this case, the defendant made it impossible for us to conduct this work and confirm the safety of those he was paying to undertake roof work.
鈥淣ot only did Hendry demonstrate a flagrant disregard to HSE and its powers, he was also verbally abusive to me in the process.鈥�
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