Company fined £24,000 for breaching health and safety regulations

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has taken swift action against an engineering company which it found to be risking the safety of its workers. An inspection by the HSE discovered that employees of UTS Engineering Ltd in Jarrow, Tyne and Wear, were being asked to make repairs to the roof of the company’s premises without proper safety provisions being made.

The public body visited the firm during September and October 2013 last year and saw that UTS Engineering Ltd was carrying out extensive improvements to its roof. A staff member had already been used to inspect the roof, re-felt areas and clear guttering. Inspectors deemed that work being undertaken was unsafe, due to there being unprotected edges and the risk that they could fall through fragile materials. A prohibition notice was issued immediately and prosecution procedures were undertaken.

On Monday May 20th 2014, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was told that the repair work was poorly planned and the person asked to carry it out was not competent for the required job.

The roof included several fragile materials, including Georgian-wired glass roof lights and vertical lights, but UTS Engineering Ltd was found to have not assessed the danger of this correctly. Guard rails should have been installed to help reduce the risk if someone falling and work close to fragile areas should have been completed from stagings, with workers being protected against falling through the materials by safety netting.

The company pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Work at Regulations act 2005 and was fined £24,000. It was also ordered to pay a further £1,146.80 in costs.

HSE inspector Fiona McGarry said the fact that nobody was injured was very “fortunate” as those working on the roof were exposed to a huge risk. She added that serious injuries and even deaths are too common and companies must ensure that proper planning is carried out before works begin.

Had someone been hurt, UTS Engineering Ltd would have been looking at a huge claim for compensation. Personal injury solicitors are experts in investigating cases thoroughly and UTS could easily have been faced with a seven figure settlement.

Making A Personal Injury ClaimMay 7th, 20140 comments