No Falls Week: Bradford builder sentenced after fatal fall of asylum seeker

Home » News & Knowledge » No Falls Week: Bradford builder sentenced after fatal fall of asylum seeker

The No Falls Foundation, a UK-based charity, is launching its annual No Falls Week campaign to promote safety working at heights.

The foundation is dedicated to preventing falls from heights and helping those affected by life-changing consequences, as the most frequent cause of fatal accidents involving construction workers continues to be working from heights.

HSE’s construction industry statistics show that falls from height were the cause of over half (52%) of the construction worker fatalities in 2023 to 2024.

Falls from height are thought to be responsible for 38,800 non-fatal worker injuries annually, or 106 injuries per day on average.

Construction hat

Builder sentenced after fatality

A self-employed builder was handed a suspended prison sentence after an asylum seeker died after falling from scaffolding at a Bradford property.

44-year-old Sarabjit Singh was given a six-month jail sentence, a 12-month suspension, and an order to perform 100 hours of unpaid labour.

On August 25, 2021, 29-year-old Mr. Eraj Rahanpour, who was originally from Iran, died after falling from a height while doing rendering work.

Sarabjit Singh had picked up Mr. Rahanpour that morning from a Bradford road, which was popular with those seeking part-time, cash-in-hand jobs. Mr. Singh dropped Mr. Rahanpour off at the site where he was to be paid £50 for six hours of labour, mixing products applied to the wall by two other workers.

In the afternoon, Mr. Rahanpour suffered severe injuries after falling from the top level of a scaffold onto the driveway below.

After his admission to Leeds General Infirmary, he was put into a medically induced coma. A decision was later made to take Mr. Rahanpour off life support, when unfortunately, he died on September 8, 2021.

Health and Safety Investigation findings

Following an examination by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), it was discovered that Mr. Singh had supplied domestic-style ladders for the work, which were inadequately secured and did not offer secure access to the scaffold platform.

The ladders were found to have numerous defects, while the scaffold’s safety gates were secured back, creating a gap for individuals to fall through.

Additionally, Mr. Singh had not created a method statement for the task or conducted an adequate risk assessment. He was unable to provide any proof of formal training or efficient supervision for any of the project’s employees.

Verdict and sentencing

On March 5, 2025, Leeds Magistrates’ Court found Mr. Sarabjit Singh, of Glenlee Road, Bradford, guilty of violating Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The judge ordered no costs.

“This is a very tragic case where a vulnerable person seeking an opportunity to work sadly didn’t make it home that evening,” stated Paul Thompson, a Principal Inspector at HSE.

Mr. Rahanpour’s nearest family member resides in Canada, making this case all the more unfortunate. We can provide a voice for Mr. Rahanpour to ensure failures by Mr. Singh have been held to account.

“Those putting people to work need to fully assess and control the risks from working at height, and ensure suitable training, guidance, and supervision. Equipment used for work should be suitable for the purpose intended and in an efficient state of repair.”

HSE enforcement lawyer Iain Jordan brought this HSE prosecution.

According to HSE guidelines, employers, and others in charge of any work at height activities must ensure that the task is appropriately planned, monitored, and completed by qualified individuals. This involves utilising the appropriate tools for working at heights.

Further guidance can be found here on the HSE’s website.

No Falls Foundation

The No Falls Foundation works with stakeholders, such as the Access Industry Forum (AIF), other trade associations, and professional bodies committed to enhancing health and safety, to achieve three specific goals:

To help keep people safe by creating greater awareness and understanding of the risks associated with working at height
To better understand the causes of falls from height through research and the exchange of information and knowledge
To support those people facing the aftermath and consequences of a fall from height

You can help by getting involved and identifying with the aims and aspirations of this brand new charity, which has the backing of a wide cross-section of stakeholders.

Fall at work

Frequently asked questions

What to expect from No Fall Week:

Educational resources: Access a wealth of informative articles, guides, and videos that cover essential topics across all methods of work at height. Learn about the latest safety regulations, best practices, and innovative technologies designed to prevent falls.
Real stories, real consequences: Learn from real-life accounts of individuals who have experienced the consequences of a fall from height. These stories serve as powerful reminders of why safe work at height is so important.
Community engagement: Connect with like-minded individuals, safety advocates, and professionals from various sectors. Share your experiences, ask questions, and inspire one another to make a difference.
Interactive challenges: Participate in fun and educational challenges designed to test your knowledge.

Working at Height Regulations – What are the rules?

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 set out the rules to prevent death and injury caused by a fall from a height.

Meanwhile, the HSE has clear guidance on its website about how to plan and carry work at height out safety, including the preventative measures required.

The Health and Safety Executive states that if you are working from a height, you must make sure work is carefully planned, supervised, and carried out by competent people with the skills, knowledge, and experience to do the job. You must use the right type of equipment for working at height.

You must also assess and control the risks involved in the task – including the height you will be required to work at, the duration and frequency you will be working at a height and the condition of the surface being worked on.

How to claim for an accident at work

Whether you are an employee, agency worker or contractor you may be able to claim for an accident at work.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 states that it is the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare at work of all employees.

This includes assessing risks, and implementing strategies to minimise risks, providing adequate training and protective equipment for all workers, and carrying out checks to ensure maintenance of any equipment is up to date.

However, if you have suffered an injury at work, you may be entitled to make a claim.

How much compensation will I get?

The amount of compensation you can claim depends on the severity of your injuries and the effect it has had on your life. If symptoms are ongoing and are supported by medical evidence, this would increase the value of your claim.

The Judicial College Guidelines set out financial brackets for common types of injuries, as will be referenced to estimate the value of the claim.

The guidelines are broken down into the affected body parts and the type and severity of the injury. They were introduced as it was recognised that whilst no two cases are ever precisely the same, justice was required to develop consistency between awards.

Precedent case law is also relied on to support the valuation, and consideration must also be given to whether you have had a pre-existing disability or whether the injury accelerated a pre-existing condition.

Even where the older injury may not be symptomatic at the time of the accident, it is something that will have to be considered and would affect the value of your claim.

Why should I use Oakwood Solicitors for my accident at work claim?

Oakwood Solicitors Ltd is an expert in Employers’ Liability cases and has over twenty years of experience in running and pursuing these cases.

We will ensure that we update you at every stage of the case and you will have a dedicated handler from the very beginning. It can be incredibly stressful after an injury and our team can assist you by breaking down the legal jargon during the process and listening to you.

When you instruct us, you can expect a friendly, down-to-earth approach together with extensive knowledge of the field which will be used to fight tenaciously with the insurers to achieve the maximum level of compensation possible for you.