Two firms have been fined more than £100,000 for the “preventable” death of a Black Country worker and father of two who fell more than 20ft from a tower scaffold.

It prompted a warning from the Health and Safety Executive which urged employers to make sure they have safety measures in place to protect staff working at height. Darren Handley, from Sedgley, died in October 2004.

Smethwick-based Spanclad Ltd and its principal contractors, Derby-based Westminster Building Co Ltd were yesterday both fined at Northampton Crown Court for breaching health and safety laws in connection with the fall.

Spanclad Ltd was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay £10,000 costs after pleading guilty to breaching health and safety legislation.

Westminster Building Co Ltd, was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £10,000 costs after pleading guilty to breaching similar laws.

The two companies were prosecuted by the HSE following an investigation of the incident.

The HSE said Mr Handley, a 36-year-old refurbishment worker, was one of four workers employed by Spanclad to carry out the re-cladding of a warehouse on an industrial estate in Northampton in October 2004.

Mr Handley was working on a tower scaffold on timber boards, which were placed on top of a fragile cement-sheeted canopy in the warehouse loading bay.

The scaffold’s top rail was missing and the tower was placed at an angle, causing it to move.

Mr Handley fell about 24 feet from the tower scaffold, through the canopy on to the yard below, suffering fatal injuries.

HSE Inspector Richard Lockwood said at the hearing yesterday: “This was an entirely preventable incident.

“Darren Handley was killed when he fell from a tower scaffold, which was not the right equipment for the work he was undertaking and was also erected incorrectly.

“This tragedy could have easily been avoided if the two companies had properly planned the work to ensure adequate safety measures were in place for people working at height.”