Martinisation (London) Ltd and Martin Gutaj had denied corporate manslaughter and related health and safety offences but were convicted of all charges following a trial at the Central Criminal Court.
The trial heard how Tomasz Procko, 22, and Karol Symanski, 29, fell to their deaths after the railings at a flat in Cadogan Square gave way in November 2014. Five workers were unsupervised when they lifted the 18 stone (115kg) sofa 20ft (6m) on to the balcony using ropes, relying on the Victorian railings for safety. The two men fell to their deaths when part of the railing gave way, jurors were told.
A third was “saved only by being grabbed by his colleagues as he began to fall.”
Nick Vamos, from the CPS, said: “Martinisation Ltd and its director Martin Gutaj showed an appalling disregard for the safety of their employees, with terrible consequences.
“Sadly, this incident was entirely foreseeable and preventable. Neither was it an isolated breach. The evidence put forward by the prosecution clearly demonstrated to the jury how these tragic deaths were part of a pattern of serious neglect of basic health and safety. Our thoughts are with the families of Tomasz and Karol.”
Sentencing will take place in due course.
