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The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a warning after employees were repeatedly put at risk of falling.
Everest Ltd a refurbishment company has been fined by the HSE for repeatedly putting its employees at risk when working at height.
Last year over half of the workers who died on construction sites worked in refurbishment, and the number of deaths on refurbishment sites rose by 61%. And working at height last year killed 23 construction workers.
Following inspections a HSE inspector passed properties where Everest Ltd was carrying out domestic roof refurbishment. Employees were working on mobile scaffolds and platforms without ‘suitable protection’ to prevent them from falling such as handrails, and parts of the platform and scaffolding weren’t set up properly.
Everest Ltd, of Potters Bar, was fined £6,000 with £15,963.25 costs, at Luton Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to breaching health and safety law including Work At Height Regulations 2005.
The HSE’s chief inspector of construction Stephen Williams said,
"The level of fatal and serious injuries in refurbishment projects remains unacceptable. Each death is a tragedy for those involved and there is no room for any complacency. The challenge for the construction industry is to ensure that sensible and effective precautions are in place to stem these deaths.
"Employers must ensure that safe working practices are developed and followed. HSE inspectors will not tolerate negligence or poor safety standards on construction sites. Robust enforcement action may well be taken, especially where there is serious or repeated breach of legislation, or failure to control the lethal risks associated with work at height."
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