Tomasz Galwaz, 29, died after falling from the roof of Al Amin Wholesale in Aston, Birmingham on 5 January 2015.
Mafizur Rahman, 32, of Trinity Road, Aston, pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Birmingham Crown Court in December.
Police said his main priority had been to get roof repairs done as cheaply as possible with disregard to the safety of workers.
Al Amin Wholesale Limited, the company who own the buildings, also pleaded guilty to two breaches under the Health and Safety at Work Act.
The firm was also fined Â£144,000 and ordered to pay costs of Â£44,600.
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Mr Galwaz and a friend were employed by Rahman in December 2014 to carry out repairs to the roof of the warehouse in Grosvenor Road, owned by his brothers and father, police said.
The deal was carried out through an interpreter as the two Polish men spoke little English. Police were later told by the interpreter that there were no discussions around safety procedures, personal protective equipment or risk assessments. There was also no mention of insurance.
The men were working on the roof on 5 January when it cracked and they both fell through on to a concrete floor.
Mr Galwaz was taken to hospital with a serious head wound and died from his injuries the following day.
The second man suffered minor injuries.
Det Insp Jim Munro, from West Midlands Police, said: "Rahman's main priority was to get the job done as cheaply as possible with complete disregard for the safety of these workers âˆ’ with tragic consequences."
A second man also arrested in January 2015 on suspicion of manslaughter was released without charge.
A businessman has been jailed for 30 months after a man plunged to his death from a warehouse roof.