A company has been prosecuted for failing to comply with enforcement safety notices concerning a construction site in Devon.

Hatchmere Park Ltd of Nottingham Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire pleaded guilty to a total of eight charges laid by both the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Torbay Council for a failure to comply with the enforcement notices and for breaching Regulation 9(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.

The company also pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. It was fined £90,000 with £25,000 in costs.

Exeter Crown Court heard a HSE inspector visited the construction site at Falcon Park, Devon on 12 March 2015.

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The organisation visited the site after being alerted of unsafe construction work taking place by the council. It was noticed residents were being put at risk as some homes were at risk to falls taking place, with nearby walls creating drops of two to four-and-a-half metres, with nothing in place to prevent falls from happening.

A joint investigation by HSE and the council found multiple safety failings, as well as an overall failure to take reasonable steps to manage the construction work without risk to the health and safety of both workers and residents.

The company also failed to comply with improvement notices served by both the HSE and Torbay Council, relating to site security including the fencing, perimeter and signs that identify the construction site.

HSE inspector Helena Allum said: "This company has a history of failing to comply with Health and Safety enforcement notices, in this case putting residents, some vulnerable, at risk of an accident, which was not acceptable.

"This case highlights the importance of properly managing construction work from the outset and demonstrates what can happen if companies fail to take action when issued with enforcement notices."

(LM/JP)