Derby firm fined £ 10k for safety failings

A "blatant disregard" for health and safety which put staff at risk of accidents at work has resulted in a company from Derby being fined GBP 10,000.

Contractor Aquacoat Ltd was issued with the penalty at Derby Magistrates' Court after men were deemed to be risking their lives on the roof of the house in Oldfield Drive, Swadlincote, in June 2010.

Passing Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors saw the men using no safety equipment to prevent falls whilst cleaning the roof of the property, which substantially increased the risk of an accident and subsequent injury claim.

The company was found guilty of breaching sections 4(1) and 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and ordered to pay the GBP 10,000 fine, in addition to GBP 4,177.65 costs.

HSE inspector Martin Giles commented: "Roofing work requires careful planning and assessment of the risks involved. In this case employees were working without the correct equipment to protect them from falls or to protect passers by from falling material."

Posted by Verity Taylor

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