August 6, 2018

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In Court

Director and firm ignored safety warnings

A company and its director have been fined for failure to comply with a prohibition and improvement notice.

Southwark Crown Court was told how, on 31 March 2016, Awad (UK) Ltd, under the control of its Director Andrzej Wilk, was issued with a prohibition notice on site where it was found that persons were at serious risk of fall and injury from the unprotected edges at the site. The court also heard that the company was issued with an improvement notice on 4 April 2016 for failure to provide adequate and suitable welfare facilities at the site.

Investigating, the HSE found Awad (UK) Ltd and Andrzej 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. The investigation also found that Awad (UK) Ltd and Andrzej Wilk had not complied with the improvement notice requiring the provision of adequate and sufficient welfare facilities.

Awad (UK) Ltd of Fourth Way, Wembley, Middlesex pleaded 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. The company was fined £37,500 and ordered to pay costs of £10,000.

Andrzej Wilk of Beresford Avenue, Surbiton pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £7,500 and ordered to pay costs of £10,000.

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.”

Approaches to managing the risks associated Musculoskeletal disorders

In this episode of the Safety & Health Podcast, we hear from Matt Birtles, Principal Ergonomics Consultant at HSE’s Science and Research Centre, about the different approaches to managing the risks associated with Musculoskeletal disorders.

Matt, an ergonomics and human factors expert, shares his thoughts on why MSDs are important, the various prevalent rates across the UK, what you can do within your own organisation and the Risk Management process surrounding MSD’s.

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