The director of a Cardiff construction firm has been fined for failing to take measures to ensure his workers' safety while working at height.

Paul Cartwright, of Llandaff, trading as Cartwright Construction, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) over safety failings at a building site off Conway Road, Pontcanna, Cardiff.

Cardiff Magistrates' Court heard that during a visit to the site on 28 September 2011, an HSE inspector observed two employees standing on the outer edge of a partially-completed first storey structure.


No edge protection was in place to prevent workers from falling outward from the beams or inwards through the partially-completed floor. There were also no scaffolds, bean bags or nets in place to offer protection.

HSE's investigation revealed the company did not have an on-site method statement for working at height and neither Mr Cartwright nor the site foreman had received adequate site manager safety training.

A Prohibition Notice was issued for work at height issues and an Improvement Notice was issued the next day for site manager safety training.

The court was told HSE had previously issued enforcement notices on Mr Cartwright's company in 2007 for work at height issues, and the company was warned at the time to look at its site manager safety training. Both Mr Cartwright and his site foreman had continued to work at the company without receiving this training.

Paul Cartwright, of Station Road, Llandaff North, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 6 (3) of the Work at Height Regulations 1995. He was today fined £4,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,027.

(CD)