Three workers injured due to failures.
\nHomeowner left with \u00a3200k bill to rebuild home.
\nHSE guidance on structural works available.<\/p>\n
A builder has been given a suspended prison sentence after a roof collapse destroyed a home and injured three workers in Windsor.<\/p>\n
Jack Savva, 70, was given a 13-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years, following the incident on 6 August 2020. Savva, of Wraysbury in Surrey, was carrying out a loft conversion on the property in Springfield Road, when the gable wall fell into the building after the roof was removed.<\/p>\n
The devastation following the collapse<\/p>\n
Two days before the incident, Savva had informed the home owner about work that was required on the chimney breast. He had told them it was incomplete as it had previously been removed from the first floor bathroom and would need to be propped. However, on the day itself, he instructed his workers to remove key supporting timbers and steels, resulting in the collapse of the brick gable wall which struck the workers and destroyed the first floor of the home, which was occupied at the time.<\/p>\n
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) \u00a0found Savva had failed to ensure the structure did not collapse while it was in a state of temporary weakness. He had not taken steps to address the unsupported chimney breast before dismantling the roof, which caused the brick gable to collapse into the work area. He also failed to take all practicable steps to prevent danger to any person while the building was in a temporary state of weakness.<\/p>\n
The homeowner was left with a \u00a3200k bill to rebuild their home<\/p>\n
One of the injured workers said: \u201cI still suffer from nightmares of the day of the accident.<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t slept more than two hours a night over the last four years.\u201d<\/p>\n
HSE guidance about managing structural stability during alteration or dismantling advises about temporary bracing and propping being required \u2013 particularly if it is known or suspected of being weak. You can read more here: Structural stability during alteration, demolition and dismantling \u2013 HSE<\/a>.<\/p>\n Jack Savva, of Friary Road, Wraysbury, Surrey, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 19(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. He was given a 13-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years and was ordered to pay \u00a32,000 compensation to the home owner, at a hearing before Reading Crown Court on 17 September 2025.<\/p>\n Three workers were injured in the collapse<\/p>\n HSE inspector Dominic Goacher said: \u201cAlthough three men were seriously injured, it was lucky nobody was killed. In addition, the householder faced a bill of \u00a3200k to rebuild their house due to Jack Savva\u2019s public liability insurance being invalid.<\/p>\n \u201cThis was a completely avoidable incident had he acted on his findings regarding the unsupported chimney breast and taken steps to support the gable wall before removing the roof components.<\/p>\n \u201cJack Savva should have taken precautions to protect people from the risk of collapse.\u201d<\/p>\n This prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Alan Hughes and supported by HSE Paralegal Officer Melissa Wardle.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Further information:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Health and Safety Executive<\/a> (HSE) is Britain\u2019s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives. Three workers injured due to failures. Homeowner left with \u00a3200k bill to rebuild home. HSE guidance on structural works available. A builder has been given a suspended prison sentence after a roof collapse destroyed a home and injured three workers in Windsor. Jack Savva, 70, was given a 13-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2119"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2119"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2119\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2119"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2119"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nMore information about the legislation<\/a> referred to in this case is available.
\nFurther details on the latest HSE news releases<\/a> is available.
\nRelevant guidance can be found here \u2013 Structural stability during alteration, demolition and dismantling \u2013 HSE<\/a>.
\nHSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.\u00a0 The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"