JNR Developers Limited, have been prosecuted and fined £32,000 following Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspections that found repeated poor standards of safety at their construction site in Cardiff.
Over a 10 year period, despite HSE enforcement action to correct issues, the company had consistently performed below required health and safety standards.
Between February and April 2018, HSE inspections of projects under the control of JNR Developers found serious failings in management that had led to unsafe practices on site. Inspectors found numerous issues that they took immediate enforcement action over, including:
Following this, a further investigation was launched by the HSE into the company and its director. They uncovered a long history of enforcement action by the HSE at various construction sites under the control of the companies director, Mr Mehrdad Chegounchei, over a 10 year period. Despite previous enforcement action requiring that Mr Chegounchei receive director health and safety training, poor safety management and leadership had persisted at sites under his control.
The HSE prosecuted JNR Developers Limited under breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, for which they received their £32,000 fine and had to pay a further £8,000 in costs.
Mr Chegounchei was also charged under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 as company director and received a six months custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months, alongside 80 hours of unpaid work.
HSE inspector John Caboche commented: "This company and its director failed to adopted correct control measures and safe working practises to maintain expected health and safety standards on site to protect workers. Companies should be aware that the HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards."
