Much of a three-storey home collapsed during loft conversion works, causing workers to flee the site, because it had insufficient temporary supports, a court has heard.
Manchester Magistrates’ Court fined Mughal Construction Ltd following the accident at the three-bedroom property in Stretford on 4 May 2020.
In addition to the lack of temporary supports, workers did not have sufficient skills, knowledge and experience to carry out the work safely.
Lack of planning
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company had failed to properly plan, manage, and monitor the work. It had failed to provide adequate health and safety measures to prevent the risk of collapse at the property, including sufficient measures to ensure it remained safe and stable.
Mughal Construction Ltd, of Levenshulme Trading Estate, Printworks Lane, Manchester, pleaded guilty of breaching Regulations 13(1) and 19(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The company was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,000.
HSE inspector, Phil Redman, said: “This was a very serious incident, and it is fortunate nobody was injured as a result of the collapse. Where contractors fail to take suitable and sufficient precautions whilst carrying out structural alterations HSE will take appropriate action including prosecution.”
