Multiple Construction Failures
A construction company in Wales has been sentenced due to multiple construction management failings.
What happened?
Employees were observed working within a 2.5 metre deep excavation.
The sides of the excavation were vertical, leaving a risk of rubble subsiding or collapsing without warning.
The site had not been secured to prevent unauthorised access.
There was no risk assessment for the refurbishment works and no safe system of work.
1 x Prohibition Notice and 2 x Improvement Notices issued.
What was the result?
The HSE issued a Prohibition Notice immediately, requiring the business to stop works within the excavation until it had been corrected.
Two Improvement Notices were issued; one required to secure the site preventing unauthorised access, and the other requiring a safe system of work for excavation works.
The Managing Director ignored the Prohibition Notice and one of the Improvement Notices and allowed works to continue.
The builder was found guilty of breaching Section 33(1)(c) and two breaches of Section 33(1)(g) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
The company was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £5,812.57 in costs.
Lessons Learned
Please ensure that if you are responsible excavation works, that they are properly planned, and appropriate precautions are taken to prevent collapse of the sides, materials falling into the excavation, and undermining of nearby structures.
Further guidance on excavation works can be found below:
Further guidance on excavation works can be found below:
2. Section 22 of the CDM Regulations
3. Approved Code of Practice HSG150 (Page 70)
4. Guidance Note CIS4 – ‘Excavation: what you need to know as a busy builder’
Further information on this case can be found here.