A major construction company has been ordered to pay almost £15,000 for failing to properly protect its workers from falls on a site in Caerphilly.
Gee Construction Ltd was the principal contractor on the site at Castlegate, Caerphilly, when a Health and Safety Executive inspector visited on October 22 last year.
The inspector found a number of shortcomings including unguarded lift shafts on the first and second floors and inadequate edge protection to prevent workers from falls – one of the main causes of deaths in the construction industry.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching of Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 at Caerphilly Magistrates’ Court last month. It was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,514.25.
Gee Construction Ltd, which is based at Phoenix House, Christopher Martin Road, Basildon, had also previously received two prohibition notices for work at height issues in 2008 and 2009.
HSE inspector David Kirkpatrick said: “When we visited the site, we found clear failings that left workers at risk of falling from height, and it was necessary to stop all activity above ground floor level until safe systems of work were put in place.
“As principal contractors, the company was responsible for the safety of everyone on the site. It had previously received warnings from HSE and its own safety consultants about safely working at height, but clearly this advice had been ignored.
“Fortunately, despite the increased risk no-one was injured on this site, but this case must serve as a warning to companies of the need to ensure working at height is properly managed.”