Clearview National April 2016 - Issue 173 | Page 19

COMPANY FINED AFTER CARRYING OUT DANGEROUS WINDOW INSTALLATION »»A COMPANY, WHICH manufactures and installs windows, has been fined £36,000 after carrying out work in the West End of London with no measures to prevent the workers falling eight metres and after dropping part of a window onto the public area below. Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard Ideal Glazing (Euro) Ltd carried out window installation work at Aldford House, Park Street, London, between 19th and 20th January 2015 that put its workers and members of the public at risk of suffering serious injuries or a fatality. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out an investigation into the work after a member of the public provided photos of workers leaning out of window openings eight metres above the ground. They also provided a video showing the workers dropping part of a window, which fell to the ground and missed a nearby pedestrian. The company had failed to provide equipment such as scaffolding, which would have prevented the workers and window falling. None of the workers had received any formal training and no one had been appointed to supervise the work. The risks associated with the work had not been sufficiently assessed. The court heard the company had failed to invest in equipment for working at height and had a health and management system 2 of the strongest brands on the market that relied entirely on the company’s managing director, Mr Rashinda Joshi, despite his lack of relevant training and experience. The work at Aldford House was halted when HSE served a Prohibition Notice (PN). The court heard the company had previously been given advice by HSE in connection with work at height and that an audit by Ideal Glazing’s bank had previously identified a range of relevant health and safety failings. The court heard that neither written warning was heeded by the firm. Ideal Glazing (Euro) Ltd pleaded guilty to breaches of Regulation 6(3) and 10(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined £36,000 and ordered to pay £1,386 in costs. HSE inspector, Andrew Verrall-Withers, commented after the hearing: “The company’s standards were appalling, and this was particularly unacceptable as previous warnings had been blatantly disregarded.” press.hse.gov.uk The VEKA UK Group is home to both VEKA and Halo: two of the industry’s leading profile systems. With these winning window systems, we have a product for every possible project, whether it’s a contemporary commercial contract, or a heritage house re-fit. 01282 725390 | [email protected] The VEKA UK Group JustTheFacts #JustTheFACTS www.vekauk.com The VEKA UK Group