Construction company fined for safety failings

A construction company has been fined for failure to plan, manage and monitor work at a construction site in Surrey.

Brighton Magistrates’ Court heard that, between the 5 July 2018 and 29 August 2018, Unicorn Services Ltd was the principal contractor at a construction site on London Rd, Staines-Upon-Thames, Surrey.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company failed to plan, manage and monitor the construction phase, namely the conversion and refurbishment of the existing building at Old Police Station, London Road, Staines-upon-Thames to ensure that, so far as was reasonably practicable, it was carried out without risks to health and safety.

Unicorn Services Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and was fined £106,667.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Susie Beckett said: “Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to prosecute repeat offenders in the construction industry who fail to learn lessons from the past and continue to put construction workers at risk on poorly managed construction sites with unsafe working conditions and practices.”

Source HSE 19 February 2020