Roof-plunge death of Royton builder

Michael McAiney

A ROYTON builder with 32 years experience in the trade died after falling 15ft through a roof.

Michael McAiney, a father of two, from Harewood Drive, Royton, was working alone on the building in Foundry Street, Bury, last November 19 when he fell.

A jury inquest of five men and three women, held in Rochdale yesterday, gave a verdict that the 61-year-old grandfather died as a result of an accident.

The inquest heard how the building, owned by company WHT Holdings Ltd but leased to furniture retailer John Moran, had leaks where the corrugated roof, made of cement and asbestos slabs, joined with a glass skylight.

Speaking at the inquest Mr McAiney’s wife Evelyn said: “He was 100 per cent experienced with jobs like roof repairs and was confident with ladders and heights.

A post-mortem examination revealed Mr McAiney had suffered multiple injuries to his head and body.

Cause of death was given as from multiple injuries due to a fall from a height.

Thomas Merry, health and safety inspector for the Health and Safety Executive based in Manchester, visited the scene of the accident on November 20.

His conclusion was that Mr McAiney had fallen through the cement roof. He said the cement asbestos slabs, commonly used in buildings for the past 100 years, was by its nature unpredictable.

He said a person could step onto one part and have no problems, then step onto the next and have it break. He said he could not find a breach of law and there would be no prosecution.