A building firm has been prosecuted for breaching work at height safety regulations.

Select Quality Homes Ltd of Middleton Road, Chadderton, Oldham pleaded guilty to breaches of Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and Section 22 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It was fined £6,600 with over £646 in costs.

Manchester City Magistrates Court heard that a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Inspector carried out an unannounced inspection at a construction site in Newmarket Road, Ashton under Lyne in April 2015.

-- Advertisement --

During the visit, the Inspector found that edge protection on the scaffolding was absent or inadequate in several places and as a result an immediate Prohibition Notice was served, ordering Select Quality Homes Ltd to stop work at the site.

A return visit to the site later on found the scaffolding was still inadequate.

The court also heard if Select Quality Homes had carried out their duty to plan, manage, and monitor the site properly, and subsequently followed the advice outlined by HSE's Inspector, the defects in the scaffolding would have been resolved without the need for any formal enforcement action.

HSE Inspector David Argument said: "This could have been avoided if Select Quality Homes Ltd had taken simple steps to prevent people from falling, such as guard rails, mid rails and toe-boards.  Prohibition Notices are only served when an Inspector is concerned there is a risk of serious injury. 

"Failure to comply with these notices is a criminal offence and HSE will take robust action when dutyholders do not take action to control serious risk."

(LM/MH)