In House Design and Build Limited, of Royalty House, Dean Street, London, pleaded guilty at Reading Magistrates’ Court to two breaches under regulation 13 (1) of the construction design and management regulations 2015. The company was fined £100,000.

The court heard how – after concerns were raised by both workers and members of the public – Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors made a number of visits during 2015 to two project sites where In House Design and Build was the principal contractor and identified a number of serious health and safety failings.

The investigation by the HSE found that over a four-month period at the first site, and despite several enforcement notices being served, the company still failed to adequately address the risks.

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The notices served were for breaches including:

• unsafe work at height
• working in unstable deep excavations
• inadequate arrangements for planning, managing and monitoring construction work.

Further similar concerns were found later in the year at the second site, where very poor welfare arrangements were also noted.

The project manager Neil Crow of Woodgrange Avenue, London, who had been in charge of operations at both sites, also pleaded guilty to two breaches under regulation 13 (1) of the construction design and management regulations 2015 and was fined £15,000.

“Principal contractors and their managers have a duty to ensure risks to workers are managed throughout the construction phase of projects,” said Dominic Goacher, inspector for HSE.

“This case serves as a reminder to those responsible of the importance of ensuring construction work is properly planned, managed and monitored so that serious risks are identified and eliminated or controlled.

“It was only by good fortune that someone was not seriously injured or killed in this instance.”

Full costs of £15,000 were also awarded.