Builder Prosecuted for Ignoring Health and Safety Rules

A builder whose employees were forced to work in unsanitary conditions, with no toilet or washing facilities, in Rochdale has appeared in court.

Michael Connolly, 46, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after he repeatedly ignored calls to improve his conditions at the site in Littleborough where he had employed contractors to convert a house into flats and shops.

HSE inspectors who visited the site in Church Street found that there were no toilets or washing facilities. They also discovered live wires sticking out of lug sockets, unsafe scaffolding and plaster and rubble scattered all over the site.

Inspectors deemed the site to be so dangerous that Mr Connolly was immediately served with three improvement notices and two prohibition notices following the visit on 4 November 2009.

Despite Mr Connolly's assurances that he had complied with all the notices, when inspectors revised the site on several occasions over a 10-week period, they discovered he had still not provided adequate facilities for workers, including soap and hot running water.

HSE Inspector Alan Pojur said:

"In failing to provide basic amenities like hot water, especially when workers would have been covered in building site dust and plaster, Mr Connolly showed a complete lack of regard for the welfare of the people he employed".

Builders Fined

A building company and its director have been fined a total of £30,000 after a worker fell nearly thirty feet from scaffolding at a building site in Llanfairfechan, sustaining severe injuries.

JBB Homes Ltd of Stockport in Cheshire - which has subsequently gone into liquidation - pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £10,835. The company's director, James Burt, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £10,000.

Llandudno Magistrates' Court heard that builder Nicholas Roberts, 28 years old from Rhyl, was working on scaffolding at a site in Gwylanedd, The Promenade, Llanfairfechan on 4 December 2007 when the incident happened.

The HSE investigation found that Mr Roberts was carrying out work to replace a lintel, when he fell from the scaffolding. He fractured his pelvis in three places, broke some teeth and bruised his pelvis and groin.