A Shrewsbury construction firm
carrying out construction work to convert an eight-storey former Ford office
block into 384 flats has been prosecuted for safety failings that put over 100
lives at risk.
On 26 May 2015, HSE was contacted by the Essex County Fire and
Rescue Service (ECFRS) to inform them of concerns for men sleeping on the
construction site at Trafford House, Station Way, Basildon, Essex.
HSE carried out a joint inspection with ECFRS the same day and
found numerous failings on site. HSE concluded that there was a significant
risk to life in the event of a fire and issued a prohibition notice preventing
workers from sleeping on site.
Forty-eight workers had to be re-housed into safer sleeping
accommodation. At the time of the inspection, approximately 120 men were
working across the site. A second prohibition notice closed the entire site
until the appropriate steps had been taken to protect all workers from the
dangers posed by fire.
RGB (Plastering and Construction) Limited, of Monkmoor Road,
Shrewsbury, pleaded guilty/not guilty to breaching Regulation 29(a) and (c) of
the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. They were fined
£8,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,130.
CRS says “This case highlights the
importance of ensuring those who undertake construction work have the relevant
skills, knowledge, training and experience to do so. There doesn’t have to be
an injury or incident for HSE to take action. If you irresponsibly endanger the
lives of those who are simply trying to earn a living, then HSE can and will
take proactive action to protect them.”
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