ATLAS members were deeply saddened to learn about the death of steeplejack David Clover, who fell from a 60 metre tall church steeple in Birmingham while carrying out restoration works.
The 64-year-old was sitting in a Bosuns Seat – a work positioning chair – when he fell from St Nicholas’ Church, a Grade 1 listed building in Kings Norton.
The accident, which happened on 13 November 2020, was the subject of a recent prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.
The investigation found that the Bosuns Seat was not supported by a suitable backup system preventing falls, such as a double or twin leg lanyard fall arrest harness.
Consequences
The man’s employer, Ecclesiastical Steeplejacks Ltd, pleaded guilty to contravening Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. This regulation requires employers to ensure that work at height is properly planned, supervised and carried out safely, with safe equipment.
The specialist construction company, which is no longer trading, was fined £60,000 at the hearing on 15 January 2025.
In passing sentence, Judge Quereshi found that the company had outdated attitudes to managing health and safety.
Falls from height
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Emma Page said: “Falls from height remain one of the leading causes of work-related deaths and injury in Great Britain. We will take action against companies that fail to protect workers.”
Working at height remains one of the biggest causes of fatalities and major injuries in Great Britain. 50 people died as a result of a fall from height in 2023/24, according to HSE figures.
ATLAS responds
ATLAS represents the leading companies in the steeplejack sector. Roy Westwick, ATLAS president, commented: “The steeplejack profession has a proud history spanning centuries, but it is not an industry that is stuck in the past. Since ATLAS was founded in 1946, our members have been at the forefront of driving improvements in working practices and technical excellence. The safety and wellbeing of those in our field are our top priorities.
“Today, steeplejacking is a modern, dynamic industry where accidents should not happen. This tragedy underscores the need for all companies in our sector to embrace progress and prioritise safety without compromise. Our thoughts are with the family of David Clover.”
Ecclesiastical Steeplejacks Ltd has never been a member of ATLAS. We hope that sharing this story helps to raise awareness of what happened so others can learn from it and prevent anything like this happening in their own workplaces.
No Falls Foundation is a charity dedicated to supporting people who’ve been affected by the consequences of a fall from height. If you find yourself in this situation, help is available.
