![PP Construction Safety logo and link to home page [1]](http://www.ppconstructionsafety.com/wp-content/themes/ppcs960/images/ppcslogo.jpg)
PROSECUTION FOLLOWS EIGHT PROHIBITION NOTICES
Contractor fined for ignoring warnings and ‘appalling’ project management
Unicorn Services Limited of Kent has been ordered to pay over £25,000 in fines and prosecution costs after continuing unsafe working practices despite repeated safety warnings on a project in Croyden near London where a four-storey block of flats was being constructed.
Westminster Magistrates’ heard (25 April) that in September 2011 a HSE inspector served eight Prohibition Notices to stop dangerous practices at the site after identifying serious safety breaches. The Notices covered scaffolding, unsafe work at height, fire risks and electrical equipment. The company also supplied “appallingly inadequate” documentation for risk assessments and project management.
When HSE returned to the site in October 2011 little or no improvement had been made to many of the illegal practices. An Improvement Notice was served requiring site manager safety training. However, the compliance date was not met.
Potential death trap with scant regard for safety
Unicorn Services Limited, of Bexley, was found guilty of breaching Regulation 26(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007, was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £5,940 in prosecution costs.
After the hearing, HSE Inspector Andrew Verrall-Withers said:
“Unicorn Services Limited blatantly ignored enforcement notices and continued to neglect its duty of care to its workforce, most of whom were vulnerable migrant workers.
“The construction site at Sylvan Hill was a potential death trap, with scant regard for safety or employee welfare. Even though there were no reported incidents at the site, serious safety breaches were routinely committed that could have resulted in death or serious injury.
“The work was underpinned by poor management and appallingly inadequate paperwork – total recklessness according to the court. General standards fell well below those expected of a competent principal contractor, which the Health and Safety Executive will simply not tolerate.”
Latest Construction Health and Safety News
LORRY RUNAWAY CLAIMED LIFE OF DRIVER
Workman died after being drawn under trailer
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 25th April 2018PETROL VAPOUR DANGER LEFT UNCONTROLLED
Workman suffered severe burns during refuelling equipment
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 25th April 2018HSE ENFORCEMENT UPDATE 25th APRIL 2018
Prosecutions and enforcement notices update and analysis
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 25th April 2018ROPE ACCESS WORKER FELL THROUGH FRAGILE ROOF
Prison sentence imposed on owner of rope access firm
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 24th April 2018FIRMS FINED £2M OVER FALLING PIPE FATALITY
Incorrect stacking of pipes triggered fall and crushing of workman
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 20th April 2018DOMESTIC PROJECT PC HANDED JAIL TERM
Workman fell from unprotected roof edge on dormer extension
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 20th April 2018MAJOR CONTRACTOR ERRED ON FRAGILE ROOF RISK
Firms fine £965,000 after painter fell through waiting room roof
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 19th April 2018HSE ENFORCEMENT UPDATE 19th APRIL 2018
Prosecutions and enforcement notices update and analysis
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 19th April 2018STRUCTURAL SAFETY BODY LATEST NEWSLETTER
CROSS publishes reports and expert comment on a range of issues
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th April 2018NEW BIM SPEC FOR SHARING H&S INFORMATION
Specification for sharing health and safety info during construction projects
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 17th April 2018MANAGERS FORGED ASBESTOS DOCUMENTATION
Removal licence obtained using fake training and medical certificates
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 17th April 2018FINE OVER INCORRECT AND MISLEADING SURVEY
Specialist asbestos company failed to detect AIB on demolition project
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 17th April 2018IGNORING HSE ADVICE PENALISED BY LARGE FINE
Contractor fined over £50k for persistent WAH and welfare failings
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 17th April 2018PRISON OVER BASEMENT EXCAVATION AND COLLAPSE
Building contractor jailed after house collapsed in Brighton
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 17th April 2018DEFEATING POWER INTERLOCK CAUSED FLASHOVER
Systems for managing electrical safety found to be inadequate
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 17th April 2018LADDER SAFETY FAILURES ATTRACT MASSIVE FINE
National window firm left workers to ‘own devices’
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 12th April 2018FALLING MATERIAL STRUCK WORKMAN IN EXCAVATION
Risks of working in and near excavations highlighted by incident
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 4th April 2018HSE ENFORCEMENT WEEKLY UPDATE 4th APRIL 2018
Prosecutions and enforcement notices weekly update and analysis
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 4th April 2018HOUSING ASSOCIATION FAILED ON VIBRATION RISK
Assessment, management and health surveillance all found wanting
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 3rd April 2018OCCUPIER AND CONTRACTOR FINED OVER FALL
Employee assisting contractor fell through roof during re-roofing project
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 3rd April 2018HSE FEARFUL OF GROWING ’BLUE TAPE’ BURDEN
ISO 45001 could generate fresh business to business demands
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 3rd April 2018HSE ENFORCEMENT WEEKLY UPDATE 21st MAR 2018
Prosecutions and enforcement notices weekly update and analysis
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 28th March 2018INCIDENTS: PASSER-BY STRUCK BY BRICKS
Pack of bricks appear to have fallen from crane
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 28th March 2018HSE RECONSIDER HOW TO INFLUENCE SMALLER FIRMS
Regulator advice and messages are failing to chime with the SME businesses
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 27th March 2018DANGEROUS REMOVAL OF ASBESTOS CEMENT
Workers smashed asbestos sheets with crowbars whilst at risk of falling
Posted on 27th March 2018
July 4th, 2012 at 9:11 am
[…] PROSECUTION FOLLOWS EIGHT PROHIBITION NOTICES […]