July 2012 Accidents at Work

FINES IMPOSED FOLLOWING SCAFFOLDING FALL DEATH

A firm, its director and a supervisor have been sentenced for safety failings after a worker died from injuries sustained in a fall from scaffolding.

Hastings Magistrates' Court heard that Joseph Murphy, had been constructing a scaffold over-roof when he fell. Precisely how far or why he fell remains unclear, but a HSE investigation identified a number of defects with the scaffolding at the site, including missing hand rails and incomplete scaffold platforms. Evidence of deficient working practices by Mr Hustwayte and a negligent safety culture within the company were also found.

The company was fined a total of £3,000 and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs for its failings, Michael Walsh was fined £1,500 with £2,500 in costs and Leslie Hustwayte was fined £2,000 with costs of £2,500.

FINES FOR UNSAFE CROYDON CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

A Croydon-based construction company has been fined for continuing unsafe working practices at a site in Lewisham despite repeated warnings.

Westminster Magistrates Court heard that the firm received advice from HSE and was served with a Prohibition Notice about managing the risk of falls. Anza Ltd was also issued with an Improvement Notice on 27 May 2009 requiring welfare facilities to be provided on the site.

The site was visited again and was found that there were insufficient measures in place to prevent workers who were using stairs to access the lower level of the site from falls.

Anza Ltd was found guilty in absentia of single breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 for its failings - three breaches in total.

The company, now in liquidation, was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £6,752.

Source www.hse.gov.uk

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