December 22, 2011 10.03 am This story is over 154 months old

£13k fine for lighting company’s safety failings

Badly assessed: A lighting company has been fined thousands for failing to carry out sufficient risk assessments.

A lighting company will have to pay out over £13,000 in fines after being prosecuted for not complying to health and safety standards.

Academy Signs Ltd were prosecuted at Lincoln Magistrates Court on November 21 by the City of Lincoln Council, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Work at Height Regulations 2005.

The company pleaded guilty to three separate charges, all related to work done at The Ritz pub, High Street, on July 8, 2010.

As well as legal costs and surcharges, the breakdown of the fines are failure of suitable risk assessment checks (£4,000), failure to make suitable measures in case someone falls (£3,000), and suitable risk assessment for those not employed by Academy Signs (£5,000).

Health and Safety Inspector at the City Council Paul Rohowsky said: “The City of Lincoln Council has an enforcement responsibility for many businesses operating within the city and we will always investigate employers who demonstrate a blatant disregard for health and safety.

“The reckless manner in which Academy Signs Ltd went about replacing lighting tubes to JD Wetherspoon The Ritz on High Street put both their employees and members of the public walking on the footpath at risk of serious injury.

“The fine imposed by Lincoln Magistrates Court confirms that working at a height without any safety measures is unacceptable.”

Source: City of Lincoln Council | Photo: Google Street View