A construction firm has been fined \u00a31,000 after it repeatedly failed to comply with Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) notices about \u201cunsafe scaffolding\u201d.<\/p>\n
Fermanagh-based HICS Properties Ltd was visited by HSENI inspectors between May and August 2022 during its work at a housing development at Rosscah View, Kesh in County Fermanagh, the watchdog said.<\/p>\n
HSENI said its inspectors identified serious risks to the health and safety of workers during a visit on 5 May 2022.<\/p>\n
\u201cHSENI observed unsafe scaffolding being used on two partially built houses and as a result issued a prohibition notice, suspending all work from height until such times as the scaffolding was made safe,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n
\u201cDespite the enforcement action, further visits revealed ongoing work from the same unsafe scaffolding structures and the absence of suitable edge protection, including missing guard rails, which placed those working on the scaffolding at a serious risk of a fall from height.\u201d<\/p>\n
HSENI said it issued improvement notices that required HICS Properties Ltd, as the principal contractor, to provide adequate welfare facilities, prepare a construction phase health and safety plan, and to appoint competent site supervision.<\/p>\n
However, HSENI said the company failed to comply with these notices within the timeframes directed.<\/p>\n
According to HSENI, HICS Properties Ltd pleaded guilty to four health and safety breaches at Enniskillen Magistrates\u2019 Court and was fined \u00a31,000 on 14 January.<\/p>\n
HSENI inspector Gavin Myers said: \u201cThis case highlights a complete disregard for basic health and safety requirements on construction sites. Despite repeated warnings and enforcement notices, HICS Properties Ltd continued to allow unsafe work at height and failed to provide even the most basic facilities for workers\u2019 welfare.<\/p>\n
\u201cFalls from height remain one of the biggest causes of death and serious injury in construction. Employers must ensure that scaffolding is erected, inspected and maintained by competent persons and that all work at height is properly planned and supervised.<\/p>\n
\u201cPrincipal contractors also have a clear legal duty to provide adequate welfare arrangements and manage health and safety throughout the construction phase.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A construction firm has been fined \u00a31,000 after it repeatedly failed to comply with Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) notices about \u201cunsafe scaffolding\u201d. Fermanagh-based HICS Properties Ltd was visited by HSENI inspectors between May and August 2022 during its work at a housing development at Rosscah View, Kesh in County Fermanagh, the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":155153,"featured_media":514598,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[581,578],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-536324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-and-safety","category-legal"],"yoast_head":"\n