Fence maker fined £90K for H&S breaches

A Liverpool company broke health and safety regulations multiple times, including missing or inadequate guarding on machinery parts, and exposure to hazardous substances.

A firm that makes fencing products has been fined £90,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,017 for repeated health and safety breaches.

Liverpool-based Securafence Ltd was found to have broken H&S regulations multiple times over an 18-month period, including breaching an improvement notice. Between 29 August 2018 and 24 January 2020, the firm based at the Hammond Road, Knowsley Industrial Park, was served with a total of ten enforcement notices.

At Liverpool magistrate’s court the firm pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

The court heard how a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found employees were exposed to H&S risks as there was no system in place to ensure H&S controls, and management didn’t have H&S competence and knowledge.

“HSE will not hesitate to take further appropriate enforcement action against those that continue to fall below the required standards or who fail to ensure sustained compliance.”

Emily Osbourne, HSE inspector said: “Those in control of work have a responsibility to identify risk and devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers in the safe system of working.

“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take further appropriate enforcement action against those that continue to fall below the required standards or who fail to ensure sustained compliance.”

Dangerous parts of machinery had missing or inadequate guarding posing an injury risk, and workers were also exposed to hazardous substances from welding fumes and paint spray from a wet spray booth, which the company had incorrectly told the HSE had been taken out of service.