Several health and safety fines

The Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) yesterday welcomed the imposition of a total of €9,156 in fines by a court after deciding a number of cases relating to occupational safety.

The authority said many of these convictions could have been avoided had those involved respected the law, such as the provisions on regular inspection and certification of lifts.

The authority noted that two men had been fined €466 each for not taking the necessary precautions to safeguard their own safety or that of others, while a foreigner was also fined €466 for not having, as an employer or a self-employed person, made a proper risk assessment.

Five persons were fined a total of €2,796 for not having ensured that a workers' health and safety representative was appointed. They had also not carried out proper risk assessments at places of work and had not ensured that persons were trained in first aid.

Six persons, including a company director, were fined a total of €600 for not having notified the authority about major construction works and having failed to appoint project supervisors.

Another director was fined €466 for not appointing a project supervisor, for not compiling information on project health and safety and failing to ensure cooperation between contractors in a large project.

A project supervisor was fined €466 for failing to take the necessary health and safety precautions for the employees. There were also other failures regarding fire drills as indicated by the Civil Protection Department for particular places of work.