Nottingham Magistrates’ Court fined roofing contractors SPV Road Carpet Ltd after the men were found risking their lives at the store on the Lenton industrial estate on 20 May 2009.

SPV employee Lewis Male was also prosecuted for failing to take reasonable care of himself and others.

The court heard Male was replacing sky lights with two others on the roof when he was spotted breaking safety rules.

The inspector noticed the workers were using no safety equipment, edge protection or harnesses to prevent falls.

It was discovered this unsafe system of work had continued over a period of three weeks, risking injury to the roofers and to employees and customers inside the store.

SPV Road Carpet Ltd, of Aldridge, Walsall pleaded guilty to safety breaches and was fined £14,000 with £6,659 costs.

Male, of Parsons Cross, Sheffield was fined £480 and ordered to pay costs of £650.

HSE inspector Frances Bailey said: “Roofing work requires careful planning and assessment of the risks involved.

“In this case employees had been working for three weeks without the correct equipment to protect them from falls and without adequate supervision.

“Fortunately no one was injured on this occasion, but both employees and members of the public inside the store below were at risk.”