A West Midlands-based builder has been fined after ignoring enforcement notices from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Meadowdale Homes, from Oak farm, Firebrick Works, Oak Lane, Kingswinford admitted two breaches of Section 33(1)(g) and one breach of Regulation 4 (1) of Work at Height Regulations.

It was fined £5,000 for each breach (£15,000) plus full costs of £1,617 were awarded to HSE.

Sandwell Magistrates' Court heard that HSE carried out a routine inspection at the former Timbertree Primary School in Graingers Lane, Cradley Heath on 14 January 2015.

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The regulator discovered issues with scaffold and other work at height practices, subsequently sending a letter to the company highlighting its concerns.

However, the firm did not respond to the letter. Two Improvement Notices (INs) were then served to the company, ordering it to arrange a Site Manager Safety Training Scheme and to address other scaffold and other work at height issues by 02 March.

Neither notice received a response. When HSE inspectors returned to the site on 03 March, they discovered none of the matters had been resolved. Further letters over several months were also ignored.

Meadowvale Homes was invited to attend a taped interview under caution but did not attend.

HSE inspector Gareth Langston said: "Initially this was a perfectly normal routine inspection, with a few things found that could have been easily resolved.

"The defendant said they didn't respond to the notices because of pressure at work. They admitted not being organised and not taking the matter very seriously, hoping it would go away."

(LM/CD)