A company has been fined for operating an unsafe timber-frame construction site in South Wales.

J G Hale Construction Ltd, of Milland Road, Neath, South Wales, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 27 and 29 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. It was fined £40,000 and £60,000 respectively, as well as being ordered to pay over £4,633 in costs and a £120 statutory surcharge.

Cwmbran Magistrates' Court heard that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched an investigation after making an unannounced visit to the site in the centre of Blaenavon on 27 July.

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A total of 54 timber-frame houses were under construction at the site, which HSE said carry a serious fire risk if not planned or managed properly as the structures are made from wood.

During its visit, HSE found measures to prevent a fire starting and getting out of control had not been properly taken. In addition, all of the houses had little fire protection, a lack of site management control, insufficient means to detect a fire and raise the alarm, poor control of ignition sources and a general lack of emergency planning. Workers were also at risk of being struck or crushed by construction vehicles on site.

As a result, HSE served improvement notices regarding fire and vehicle safety issues which were complied with after two further inspections.

HSE inspector Liam Osborne said: "Hale Construction had been given plenty of warnings about fire-safety and traffic risks in the recent past, including from HSE.

"Timber-frame houses are perfectly safe once they're finished and protected, but when under construction they can be very dangerous. Stringent fire-safety standards need to be in place well before the build starts, and then maintained and monitored."

(LM)