Firm fined £63,000 after ‘multiple failures’ at construction site

An Essex developer that showed a “total disregard” for its workers’ safety has been hit by a £63,000 fine, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced.

Nine enforcement notices were served against Nofax Enterprises Ltd, including five prohibition notices, after the regulator said it found “multiple failures” at a construction site in East London.

The Maldon-based firm was overseeing the construction of a four-storey building on Dalston Lane containing nine flats and a large basement to house a youth club.

However, the failings identified by officials from the HSE were deemed so serious that they resulted in the site being closed down on two separate occasions.

Four inspections in a 13-month period between 2020 and 2021 uncovered multiple working at height risks, poor fire precautions and exposure to large amounts of silica dust, the HSE said.

It added that its inspectors also found that the company had failed to protect workers from exposure to wood dust, or to put in place adequate Covid and welfare controls.

“Exposure to either wood or silica dust can result in very serious and life-threatening health conditions, including asthma, nasal and lung cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and silicosis,” the watchdog said.

HSE inspections at other sites operated by Nofax Enterprises identified a “poor health and safety culture and systemic management failings” at the company, it added.

Nofax Enterprises pleaded guilty to breaches of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and was ordered to pay a fine of £63,000 and £25,622 in costs, the HSE said.

“This company showed a total disregard to keeping its workers safe,” HSE inspector Gordon Nixon said, following the hearing yesterday (18 March) at Southwark Crown Court.

“They failed to meet even the most basic health and safety standards, continually exposing operatives to serious risks.

“HSE will not wait until workers are seriously injured or worse, and will take appropriate action including prosecutions when health and safety regulations are so blatantly flouted.”