Building contractor and clients fined after several safety breaches
In some of the latest health and safety news, a building contractor and their clients have been sentenced following several serious health and safety breaches.
The parties hearing was at Basildon Crown Court who heard how London and Essex Property Partnership Ltd, principal contractor of Ludovic Calo and Richard Balls took part in the construction of two semi-detached houses on Central Wall Road, Canvey Island.
Concerns of industrial waste and serious safety breaches
The HSE Executive visited the site on 5 occasions following complaints by members of the public. Concerns were raised over the increasing amount of industrial waste being collected at the site in addition to several serious health and safety breaches. The Breaches related to site security, welfare and working at height.
Reports were made that bricks had fallen from scaffolding and that part of the building had collapsed into a neighbouring property. The HSE Executive served several warning notices but to no avail as continuous breaches were made.
Following an investigation by the HSE, it was found at the parties involved had failed to meet the standards required by the construction design and management (CDM) Regulations 2015.
The projects principal contractor, Ludovic Calo failed to ensure that basic health and safety measures were followed. Planning was not properly carried out to ensure working from height regulations were followed and the scaffolding did not comply with two HSE -issued improvement notices.
Richard Balls, of Henham, Bishops Stortford was found guilty of breaching Sections 4(1) and 4(3) of The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, and Section 21 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. He received a 29 week suspended custodial sentence, 3 months electronic curfew 9pm-6am and ordered to pay costs of £5,000.
London & Essex Property Partnership Ltd of Scratton Road, Stanford Le Hope were found guilty of breaching Sections 4(3) and 4(6)(b) of The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. They were fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,000.
"“Commercial clients and principal contractors have significant and wide-ranging duties to comply with construction health and safety law, and it is not acceptable to cut costs and maximise profit at the expense of putting people at risk.”: HSE Inspector Glyn Davies"
