The HSE prosecutes after two Improvement Notices were ignored
A construction company working in Blackpool are prosecuted after ignoring health and safety warnings - 23rd October 2008
A company has been prosecuted for breaking
health
and safety regulations despite having already having
been warned they were doing so.
Chelford properties Ltd of Chorley were carrying out
work in Blackpool when
the Health and
Safety Executive (HSE) became aware of the
concerns of local residents about the poor state of
the sites boundary fences. The HSE made a site visit
and found the fence in a very poor state of repair
in places, and also that the traffic management
system was unsuitable increasing the risk of there
being workplace accidents.
This resulted in two Improvement Notices being
served, one for making the sites boundary fences
safe, and the other for creating safer site movement
for vehicles and pedestrians. Chelford Properties
Ltd had received warnings about the site from their
own health and safety consultants and had previously
had four other Improvement Notices issued to them
for other sites they controlled.
The company were prosecuted after pleading guilty to
two charges at Blackpool Magistrates Court, for
breaching firstly the Construction (Design and
Management) Regulations 1994 Reg. 16(1) (c) which
states: "Take reasonable steps to ensure that only
authorised persons are allowed into any premises or
part of premises where construction work is being
carried out" and secondly the Construction (Health,
Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996 Reg. 15 which
states: “Every construction site shall be organised
in such a way that, so far as is reasonably
practicable, pedestrians and vehicles can move
safely and without risks to health.” They were fined
£6,000 and told to pay £4,500 in court costs.
A HSE Inspector pointed out that the company had
received numerous previous warnings, but still
failed with site health and safety issues for both
employees and the public. And also that in the
construction industry accidents at work accounted
for around 70 deaths each year, with many other
workers suffering serious
injury at work.
