An Auckland construction company has been fined $180,000 after it exposed its workers to a risk of a fall from a height and repeatedly ignored prohibition notices.
Hobson Construction Limited was sentenced at Auckland District Court today for exposing workers to the risk at a residential construction site.
WorkSafe’s Area Manager Danielle Henry said an inspector visited a construction site in Millwater and found the company didn’t have enough protections in place in case of a fall from a height.
The regulator then issued the company a prohibition notice to prevent it from doing any work on the second level of the building until the issue was remedied and protection was installed, she said.
Henry said despite the notice, work continued.
The company disregarded the prohibition notice three times, so WorkSafe took further action, she said.
“Prior to this incident the company had been issued six prohibition notices relating to unsafe work at multiple sites around Auckland, including two at this particular site.
“It is fair to say they were aware that health and safety obligations were not being met."
Henry added: "Our message to all businesses today is that prohibition notices must be taken seriously. WorkSafe will consider taking further action against any business that fails to comply with these notices.”
Hobson Construction Limited was sentenced under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 .
The maximum penalty for under the Act for the section relating to an offence of this nature is $1,500,000.
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