Company and director in court for poor site standards

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) identified a number of concerns at the new-build development on Hudson Lane, Buckshaft, in December 2013. They included a lack of hot running water and washing facilities, and an unsupported excavation for a new sewer.

 

On 26 January local firm K W Bell Group and MD Keith Bell, aged 74, both accepted that welfare and safety standards at the site fell short and the offences had been committed with the consent, connivance or was attributable to the neglect of, Keith Bell himself.

 

Cheltenham Magistrates heard the firm was building five homes at the site, work that commenced in April 2013 and was overseen by Keith Bell.

 

The sanitation and excavation failings were found during a site visit on 11 December, although it was established there had been failures during the entire period of works to date.

HSE served an Improvement Notice requiring urgent welfare improvements. A Prohibition Notice was also served to stop any further excavation work with immediate effect until the excavations were  properly supported.

K W Bell Group, of Whimsey Industrial Estate, Steam Mills Road, Cinderford, was fined a total of £4000 and ordered to pay £765 in costs after pleading guilty to two separate breaches of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.

 

Keith Bell, of Elton, Gloucestershire was fined £9000 with £3502 costs after also pleading guilty to the same breaches.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Sue Adsett said: "The standards I saw at the Hudson Lane development were poor. The excavation work, in particular, was a major cause for concern because there was clear evidence of excavation entry without adequate precautions. The consequences of the sides of the excavation collapsing on someone could have been devastating, and precautions, such as a trench box, could have easily been provided mentioned in the company’s own method statement.

"The welfare failings  – no toilet or hand washing facilities for four months worth of construction work – were particularly disappointing given previous Improvement Notices served by HSE on the subject at other sites. Construction workers need access to hot running water and washing facilities in order to remove potentially harmful dirt and dust before they eat and drink. It is a clear legal requirement, and both parties should have known that as experienced developers.”