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UK News - Breaking news in the field of health and safety
Property developers proceeded with little regard for ....
Property developers proceeded with little regard for safety standards
Phillips Property Developments Ltd, of Pontypridd, who employed contractors to carry out demolition work on a property in the Grangetown area of Cardiff, have been prosecuted and fined after a concerned member of the public reported to the HSE that it was being conducted in a reckless manner.
An HSE inspector arrived to find contractors removing the roof and walls of the property with no safety measures at all in place, slates and other debris from the demolition were being thrown down from the roof area directly over the public footpath and into the company's van, putting members of the public at risk.
Cardiff Magistrates fined the company £1,000 after it admitted breaching S.3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
Comment:
"The standards in place were grossly inadequate and it was just very fortunate that no-one was injured or even killed in this incident.
Falling from height is one of the biggest killers in the construction industry, and whilst the company had arranged scaffolding as a safe working system, when it failed to arrive the work continued in its absence. With all the defined standards in place then there would negligible risk of serious injury or fatality occurring.
There was reckless disregard of health and safety requirements and the company's standard of managing health and safety was far below what is required by Health & Safety law and gave rise to serious risks.
Information about safe working practice and employers' legal responsibilities to its own workforce and those affected by its operations is readily available from HSE.
Cutting corners can cost firms money, but more seriously, it can cost lives too." - HSE inspector.
29.09.06
