Essex construction firm fined over safety failings

An Essex-based construction company has been sentenced today after two workers were seen working unsafely on a 12.5m high pitched roof in Cardiff.

Cardiff Magistrates’ Court heard how, in August 2015, during repair work on the roof at a Homebase store in Llanishen, a HSE inspector witnessed two workers working on a roof which had unprotected potentially fragile roof lights, without sufficient control measures in place.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the work created a risk of injury to employees from falling from or through the roof, and to members of the public from falling objects. The investigation found suitable and sufficient measures had not been taken to protect employees, such as completing the work from the basket of a mobile elevated work platform and that members of the public had not been protected from falling objects, by closing the store or cordoning off below the work area. Survey Roofing Group Ltd and the Survey Roofing Group companies, which share many of the same directors, have received previous advice and enforcement from HSE regarding unsafe work at height.

Survey Roofing Group Ltd of Kingfisher House, Billericay, Essex pleaded guilty to breaching Section 6(3) and 10(2) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, and has been fined £36,666 and ordered to pay costs of £28,856.39.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Paul Newton said: “Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities in this country and the risks associated with working at height are well known. All work at height should be properly planned, including short-term reactive work, so workers and members of the public are not put at risk.

“Commercial clients and companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

 Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk