Information bite 236: Construction company director sentenced after multiple health and safety failings

A construction company in Scotland has been fined over £30,000; and its director sentenced to community service after multiple safety failings at housing development site.

Three HSE inspections took place between October and December 2016 at the construction site. Inspectors served multiple prohibition and improvement notices for a range of health and safety failings,  included unsafe scaffolding, electric installations, traffic management; inadequate welfare, site tidiness and lack of general fire precautions.

The company had failed to put an adequate plan in place to manage and monitor the construction phase of the project. This led to significant risks on site. The HSE also said the firm failed to take adequate action to rectify their failings and comply with the enforcement notices.

In addition, the director of the company was acting as site manager and was directly involved in the health and safety failings.

The construction company pleaded guilty to seven charges under health and safety regulations and was fined a total of £35,332.

The director pleaded guilty to six charges and was sentenced to a 166 hours community pay back order and was disqualified from holding a directorship for two years.

After the hearing an HM inspector said: “Companies should be aware that the HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those who fall below the standards required on construction sites. HSE will also take action against senior people in those companies for their role in the creation of unacceptable risks on sites.”

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