Academy trust fined £32,000 after man suffered life-changing injuries while collecting footballs from school roof

Academy trust fined £32,000 after man suffered life-changing injuries while collecting footballs from school roof

A multi-academy trust overseeing 16 schools across the North West of England has been fined £32,000 after a workplace accident left an employee with life-changing injuries. Romero Catholic Academy Trust appeared at Warrington Magistrates Court on July 14, where representatives of the body admitted breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The incident occurred at St Mary's Catholic Primary School in Burnley on September 2, 2024, where site supervisor Robert Baker fell from the building's roof onto a concrete playground below. Mr Baker had climbed to the roof using a ladder that was not properly secured, hoping to retrieve footballs while pupils were away on an inset day. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say After the rickety ladder gave way, he fell from the rooftop and landed on the hard surface of the playground. A passer-by discovered Mr Baker lying on the ground shortly after the fall, which caused him severe trauma, including brain bleeding and multiple fractures to his face, hand and foot. These injuries have had lasting consequences for his daily functioning, and he continues to struggle with memory loss, speech difficulties and problems performing routine cognitive tasks such as operating household appliances. In a statement, Mr Baker said: "The effects of the subdural hematoma have had a significant and ongoing impact on my daily life. "My recovery has been extremely difficult. At one point, doctors were unsure whether I would survive and if I did they couldn't say if I would ever walk again." Beyond the negligence fine issued at court, the Padiham-based trust was also ordered to pay £6,360 in compensation costs to the site manager. Prior to the accident, Mr Baker was an active member of a car club and regularly enjoyed seeing shows - activities he has now abandoned due to concentration problems after the accident. He has also expressed concern about his future employment prospects and the potential impact on his family. L