Clothing importer fined £10k for safety breach
January 14th 15:55 Health and Safety
A warning has been issued to UK businesses who neglect to follow regulations when construction work is carried out on their premises.
Following a successful prosecution from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), east London-based clothing importer Citytex UK has been fined £10,000.
The prosecution followed an incident which saw a section of the firm's building collapse with twenty people inside.
According to the HSE, although plans for the work had been drawn up by architects and structural consultants, the work was being carried out by Citytex's managing director and his teenage son.
"There was no construction phase plan and the architect was not aware that any work was being carried out on the first floor and HSE had not been notified that any improvement work was taking place," the organisation said.
HSE Inspector, Sarah Snelling, said: "More than 20 people were in this building when it collapsed and it was sheer luck that no one was seriously injured or even killed in this incident
"If Citytex UK Ltd had complied with its legal duties by appointing a Planning Supervisor, and a competent Principal Contractor, then the risks would have been substantially reduced."
Westminster Magistrates also ordered the firm to pay £35,000 in costs and £200 each to four people who sustained injuries during the incident.
