Contracts of employment: Employment status in the safety context

In Lane v The Shire Roofing Co (Oxford) Ltd, the Court of Appeal holds that a roofer hired by a company for an individual roofing job was an employee, and so the company was liable to pay damages for the personal injury he suffered when he fell off his ladder whilst carrying out that work. In the context of health and safety, the Court says, a real public interest lies in recognising the employer/employee relationship where it exists, because the various common law and statutory duties of care are owed to employees and not independent contractors.