Repeated safety failings lands £50k fine

Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that an inspection of a construction site in Roseneath Road, London (SW11) on 5 August 2019 identified numerous health and safety breaches. These included locations on site that had no edge protection to prevent falls, including a plank that traversed a basement extension to provide access into the property.

There were also insufficient measures in place to prevent the collapse of the sides of a large excavation. 
HSE had previously inspected other Urban Living Constructions sites between 2015 and 2019. During this time two prohibition notices were served in relation to unsafe work at height and one prohibition notice was served in relation to an unsafe excavation.

Urban Living Constructions Limited of The Broadway, Woodford Green, Essex, pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The court fined Urban Living Constructions £50,000 and awarded full costs of £6,578.84.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Adam Thompson said, “The legal standards for ensuring work at height is carried out at safely and ensuring excavations on site are safe from the risk of collapse are well known throughout the construction industry. The standards on this site fell far below the minimum legal standard. This is inexcusable in any case, but even more so given the amount of enforcement action the company had previously received in relation to known health and safety risks.”