Contractor fined €7,000 for health and safety failures that led to worker being injured on the job

A director of a company was fined €7,000 for various health and safety issues that caused a worker to be seriously injured at the workplace.

The director was found guilty of failing to protect the health and safety of his employees and people who could have been affected by the work being done, in an incident that happened in September 2014.

The court presided by Magistrate Simone Grech ruled that the director also failed to ensure a proper risk assessment of all the dangers that could have been present at the workplace.

As an operator and as an employer, he was found guilty of failing to take the necessary measures to avoid falls from a height, particularly by using solid cradles that are high enough and have at least an end board, main rail, and intermediate rail or equivalent alternative.

He also failed to ensure that work at a certain height, is carried out only with special equipment or with the use of collective protection equipment such as cradles, platforms, or safety nets.

The court ruled that at times, suitable means of access and safety harnesses or other safety anchoring methods were also not provided, enforced, and used. This along with failing to ensure that guardrails were placed in stairwells.

In his capacity as a contractor, he was found guilty of not preserving health and safety on a construction site, taking measures that are following the minimum requirements established, and not listening to the direction of the project supervisor on site.

He was also found guilty of failing to secure people to give first aid to his employees in case of injury and failing to provide quick access to adequate and appropriate first aid.