London Firm And Director Fined For Safety Breaches

A London joinery firm and a company director have been fined for multiple safety breaches that put employees at risk.

Park Royal-based Sunbeam Wood Works Ltd and Stephen Morrison were prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an inspection on 10 February this year identified a number of serious issues.

Westminster Magistrates' Court heard that the company had:

• failed to test ventilation systems for extracting potentially harmful wood dust

• failed to provide suitable respiratory protective equipment (RPE), controls or any health surveillance for employees working with hazardous spray paints


• failed to control noise exposure

• failed to provide adequate information, training and supervision to protect workers from hazards, including inhaling chemicals such as isocyanate during spraying processes.

Two Improvement Notices were served requiring action to be taken to stop health and safety from being compromised, and to protect workers undertaking hazardous activities. However, a follow up inspection in April revealed both were ignored. The court was told that little had changed and that there were still serious faults.

Sunbeam Wood Works Ltd, of Sunbeam Road, Park Royal, NW10, was fined a total of £24,000 and ordered to pay £1,460 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and Section 21 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Stephen Morrison, of the same address, was fined £8,000 after pleading guilty of breaching Section 37 of the same Act in his capacity as a director.

(CD/MH)