Greg Pearson – a 33-year-old scaffolder trading as Pearsons Scaffolding – has been fined for allowing unsafe work at height in London.
The safety failings, which put workers and passers-by at risk, took place on a busy road in the capital, where a fifteen-metre-high scaffolding structure was erected.
However, there were no safety guards in place to protect members of the public walking below the structure, if any equipment or construction materials fell, and the structure was also found to be incomplete following an HSE inspection.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that a prohibition notice from HSE required Mr Pearson to cease all work at the site until they agreed that the scaffolding had been made safe.
However, Mr Pearson allowed work to go ahead, despite the warning, and he also failed to cooperate with the health and safety authority when they requested documents relating to the project.
The scaffolder only acted when served with a second notice, when the main contractor for the project also decided to use an alternative service provider.
Mr Pearson pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 (6(3), 10(1)) and was given two suspended prison sentences of 10 weeks each, suspended for 12 months.
He was also ordered to pay costs of £200 and a victim surcharge of £80.
Andrew Verrall-Withers, an HSE inspector involved with the case, said: “Greg Pearson repeatedly put the lives of other workers and members of the public at risk.
“He blatantly disregarded all warnings and enforcement action taken against him and it was just good fortune that no one was killed.
“It’s vital that law abiding scaffolders have confidence they will not lose work to others who underquote them because they take shortcuts at the expense of safety.”