News
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AUGUST 2018 | 25
News
DIRECTOR JAILED AFTER EXPLOSION KILLED TWO BROTHERS
Simon Thomerson has been sentenced to 8 months in custody after pleading guilty to a health and safety breach that resulted in the death of two brothers .
Luton Crown Court heard how Mr Thomerson , the sole owner and director of Clearview Design and Construction Ltd , had been contracted by the owners of an industrial park in Hoddesdon , Hertfordshire to refurbish several of the units .
Brothers Ardian and Jashar Lamallari had been employed as labourers and were working inside the unit at 16:45 on 3 October 2015 when an explosive fire occurred . Both brothers suffered near 100 per cent burns and died within 12 hours of the incident . A third man who was working with them also suffered severe burns but survived .
A joint investigation by Hertfordshire Constabulary and the
Suspended sentence for South East scaffolder following unsafe work
A Kent-based scaffolder has been sentenced after unsafe working practices were observed during the erection of scaffolding .
Medway Magistrates ’ Court heard how , on 19 August 2016 , Mr Steven David Connolly was working at a site in Chartham , Kent when an inspector observed him employing unsafe working practices when erecting scaffolding .
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive ( HSE ) found Mr Connolly was working unsafely and putting himself at serious risk
Health and Safety Executive ( HSE ) found that Mr Thomerson had supplied the three men with several litres of highly flammable “ thinners ”, which they then poured onto the floor of the unit to remove old dried carpet tile adhesive .
The investigation found that Mr Thomerson had given no serious consideration to the safe use of the thinners , despite the obvious warnings on the containers . The vapour spread over an area up to half the size of a tennis court
of falling from the scaffold under construction . He ignored interjections of a HSE inspector , refusing to work safely and instead subjecting her to a torrent of abuse . Mr Connolly then left the scaffold in an unsafe and incomplete condition with no warning for subsequent users .
Mr Steven David Connolly of Greenacres , Lower Kingswood , and was ignited by one of several possible ignition sources that were in the area .
Sole owner and director of Clearview Design and Construction Ltd , Simon Thomerson of Sutherland Avenue , London , pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3
‘
no serious consideration to the safe use of the thinners , despite the obvious warnings on the containers
’
( 1 ) of the Health and Safety at Work etc . Act 1974 . He received a custodial sentence of 8 months and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £ 170 .
www . hse . gov . uk
Surrey pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 6 ( 3 ) and 8 ( a ) of The Work at Height Regulations 2005 . He was sentenced to 24 weeks imprisonment , suspended for 18 months . He has also been subject to the condition of a curfew between 9am and 5pm at his home address for which he will be tagged and ordered to pay costs of £ 2,000 .
NORTH WEST ROOFER SENTENCED AFTER FAILING TO MANAGE HEALTH AND SAFETY ON SITE
A Manchester-based roofer has today been sentenced after breaching health and safety laws .
Greater Manchester Magistrates ’ Court heard how , on 7 November 2017 , Michael Anthony Roden ( who also trades as M & R Roofing and Onyx Roofing ) and his employee were contracted to carry out roof replacement work at Wheildons Butchers , Manchester . Mr Roden failed to implement any form of edge protection or scaffolding whilst the roofing work was carried out and did not have employers ’ liability compulsory insurance .
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive ( HSE ), found that Mr Roden had previously been served with two prohibition notices on two separate occasions with regards to working from a height with no suitable edge protection . Despite this , Mr Roden continued to work without appropriate scaffolding and , in doing so , put himself and his employee at risk of a fall from height , as well as members of the public who were at risk from any falling materials .
Michael Anthony Roden of Ribble Walk , Droylsden , Manchester pleaded guilty and was sentenced to six months imprisonment suspended for two years , 240 hours community service and ordered to pay costs of £ 4,600 .
http :// www . hse . gov . uk / work-at-height / index . htm