A construction company was refurbishing a building when the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out a site inspection on 5 July 2016. Officers found workers in a basement had been dry cutting around 250 bricks to shape the bay window surrounds.
The company's failure to properly plan and manage the project had created numerous failings on-site, the HSE found. Workers were not informed of the dangers of inhaling RCS, nor were they made aware of the correct controls. The company had also failed to appoint a competent person to supervise the work. In its press release, the HSE added that it had repeatedly warned the firm about the dangers of inhaling silica dust.
The construction company pleaded guilty to breaching reg 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The firm was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £2,313 in costs at Court on 13 December.
HSE inspector Prentiss Clarke-Jones said: "Over 500 construction workers are believed to die from exposure to silica dust every year. It is the biggest risk to construction workers after asbestos."
Published on Tuesday 15th December 2015