The Tax Cheapo

Tricon Construction Ltd a construction company based in Dundee have been investigated by the local branch of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following a serious incident in which two men sustained substantial injuries.

The incident occurred when the two men plummeted through a gap in against the wall of a lift shaft on the fourth floor of a construction site. Both men were very lucky in that one only fell 2 m and the other approximately 10 m.

But both still suffered considerable physical trauma after the scaffolding they were working on shifted toppling the men down the side of the lift share wall. According to the HSE they estimate that the scaffolding was approximately, a metre from the wall that the men were working on, this is against “work at height” regulations.

As a result, charges were brought last Friday before Dundee Sheriff Court and Tricon Construction had little choice but to enter a plea of guilty with regard to breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 in particular section 3(1) of the act.

The Court decided to hand down a fine of £10,000 plus legal fees against the company.

One small slip in not fully following HSE regulations can now land a company in serious legal hot water. Accredited health and safety courses such as the NEBOSH general certificate from Workplace Law Training can help to ensure that your company keeps on the right side of the powerful investigators at the HSE.