Builder fined for dangerous construction site

Date:

11 July 2012

Release No:

HSE/M/84/12

A Lincolnshire builder has been fined after a spot check by the Health and Safety Executive revealed his construction site was unsafe.

The unsafe construction site at Danesgate in Lincoln

Andre Wilkin, trading as Hillen Projects, was the main contractor on a refurbishment scheme at Danesgate in Lincoln when an HSE inspector visited as part of a national construction safety initiative on 1 March 2011.

A scaffold, which was not being used at the time, was found to have numerous defects and the site itself was very untidy, with numerous slips, trips and fall hazards.

Lincoln Magistrates' Court heard today (11 July) that Mr Wilkin was verbally advised about the three issues on the day of the visit and was sent a letter two days later detailing the actions he needed to take to bring the site up to an adequate standard.

The unsafe construction site at Danesgate in Lincoln

A month later, a follow-up inspection was carried out but the defects on the scaffolding, which people were now working on, had not been remedied. A Prohibition Notice was served to prevent further work on the scaffold.

The site was still not organised in a safe manner and the hazards noted during the initial visit were still present. A second Prohibition Notice was served to stop any further construction work until a safe means of access around the site had been established.

Andre Baudouin Wilkin, of Market Place, Caistor, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 27(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and Regulation 4(1) (c) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 for his failings. He was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,800.

Workers on the unsafe construction site at Danesgate in Lincoln

After the hearing, HSE inspector Martin Waring said:

"Mr Wilkin was offered plenty of advice and had the opportunity to rectify the problems that were identified. Instead he chose to continue putting workers at risk.

"It is essential that construction work, particularly work at height and site organisation, is properly planned to ensure that appropriate precautions are in place."

Further information about safe working in the construction industry, and good site management, can be found online at www.hse.gov.uk/construction

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to prevent death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training, new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
2. Regulation 27(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 states: "Every part of a construction site shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, be kept in good order and every part of a construction site which is used as a place of work shall be kept in a reasonable state of cleanliness."
3. Regulation 4(1) (c) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 states: Every employer shall ensure that work at height is carried out in a manner which is so far as is reasonably practicable safe."

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