A company and its director have been prosecuted for failing to adhere to prohibition and improvement notices relating to safety issues on a construction site.

Awad (UK) Ltd of Fourth Way, Wembley, Middlesex, has been fined £37,500 with £10,000 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and Section 21 and 22 of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Andrzej Wilk of Beresford Avenue, Surbiton pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He has been fined £7,500 with £10,000 in costs.

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Southwark Crown Court heard how Awad (UK), under the control of its director Mr Wilk, was issued with a prohibition notice on site on 31 March 2016 after it was determined persons were at serious risk of fall and injury from the unprotected edges of the site. In addition, Awad (UK) was handed an improvement notice on 04 April 2016 for failing to provide adequate and suitable welfare facilities at the site.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) discovered both the company and Mr Wilk had not taken steps to comply with the prohibition notice preventing any work near the open edges where there was a risk of fall and injury to persons. In addition, HSE found both parties had not complied with the improvement notice requiring the provision of adequate and sufficient welfare facilities.

Speaking after the case, HSE inspector Saif Deen said: "The risks associated with working at height and the requirement to provide adequate welfare facilities are well-known throughout the construction industry.

"In this case, the company and its director failed to comply with HSE's enforcement action and continued to put persons at risk of serious injury."

(LM/MH)