17.01.2006

Fall costs Westbury Homes £12,000

The failure to ensure the health and safety of one of its sub contractors has cost Westbury Homes almost £12,000 after it pleaded guilty to charges under the Health and Safety Act at Neath Magistrates' Court.

Westbury Homes (Holdings) Ltd, was prosecuted by the HSE after Gareth Davies, a sub contractor employed to fit windows to its new homes, fell around six metres.

Davies injuries included fractured ribs and a punctured lung, after the fall at Westbury Homes' Mariner's Quay site in Aberavon on 28th May 2004. He has since fully recovered.

The company pleaded guilty and was fined £8,000 with £3,833 costs.

HSE inspector Hayley Healey said: "The HSE in Wales has investigated nine fatal falls from height since April 2003. This is nine too many.

"This case must serve as a warning to others that health and safety issues should be the cornerstone of good working practice. Advice and guidance is freely available, especially on the HSE website, and from the HSE Infoline"

The charges were brought under section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act, which relates to the duties of employers and self employed persons other than their employees.