A roofing worker in northern France, in 2015. PHILIPPE HUGUEN / AFP “In the face of a family’s pain, indignation at the fact that one can die at work, and extremely technical discussions on the causes of the accident, we must always prioritize the victims,” said Catherine Sorita-Minard, the public prosecutor, in her opening statement at the criminal court of Tours on Tuesday, April 9th. Benjamin was a young, inexperienced man who should have been accompanied and trained by his employer.” Benjamin Gadreau died on February 28, 2022 at the age of 23, following a thirteen-meter fall after slipping on a gutter. Employed for a year by the roofing company Quinet, he was working on the roof of a residential building in Chinon, Indre-et-Loire. The company is charged with involuntary manslaughter, absence of appropriate collective protection, and providing work equipment without information or training.
At the trial, the victim’s relatives are surrounded by about ten families from the Stop Work-Related Death collective, which his mother, Caroline Dilly, co-founded in late 2022. These parents or spouses of victims have made it a habit to attend trials to support each other, accompanied by banners and clothing bearing the image of the deceased person. The course of events is typical of the risks regularly taken by roofers. With his team leader, Benjamin Gadreau had the whole day to change a part of the gutters at the corner of the building and replace some slates on the roof. They used a mobile elevating work platform, equipment that allows for safe work “provided that the work tasks are carried out from inside the basket,” according to the labor inspection.
The concern is that the team leader and Benjamin both leave the basket, as the roof is sloped and they cannot perform their tasks from within it. It was while climbing back into it that the young man, without protection, slipped and fell. The deputy director of labor in Indre-et-Loire, Bruno Rousseau, speaking on behalf of the labor inspector who had followed the case – now retired – is clear: “It was a ‘mission impossible’ to work safely as a team with this platform. The employer did not assess the risks and take the necessary measures to ensure the health of its workers. We did not even find an internal regulation.” The deceased roofer was not trained to work on this type of equipment.
Overall, this case is an example of the dangers that workers in the roofing industry face on a regular basis. The lack of proper training, evaluation of risks, and appropriate safety measures contributed to the tragic death of Benjamin Gadreau. It is a reminder of the importance of prioritizing the safety and well-being of workers in all industries to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. The families of victims, supported by advocacy groups, play a crucial role in seeking justice and holding employers accountable for ensuring a safe working environment for all employees.
