Development firm which put workers’ lives at risk fined
SALFORD construction company Bluefig Developments Ltd and its managing director have been fined a total of more than £80,000 over poor site conditions where a former pub is being transformed into houses.
The Health and Safety Executive halted work on the conversion project in Bollington, Cheshire after an inspection revealed workers’ lives were at immediate risk because of work at height issues, missing floorings with no protection and problems relating to running water.
Bluefig and MD Faris Hashim Mousa, 52, are based at 260-268 Chapel Street.
Deborah Walker, inspector at HSE, said: “This was an extremely dangerous site and it is only luck that nobody was injured or even killed.
“Anyone involved in construction, no matter what size of site or project has to take the health, safety and welfare of their workers seriously.
“If the unstable wall had collapsed, we could now be talking about the tragic death of a worker and its impact on their family, rather than how lucky they are no one was injured.”
Both the company and its director were found to have failed to notify HSE of the project, appoint a competent principal contractor or ensure they had suitable and sufficient measures to reduce risks to workers and members of the public.
Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court issued Bluefig with a £42,900 fine and £3,781.24 costs.
After pleading guilty to breaching two charges under Section 37 of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, Mousa was fined £40,000 with £3,658.24 costs.
