A ductwork manufacturer has been fined for failing to purchase compulsory insurance to protect its employees.
Essex firm Ductwork Environmental Services was fined £1,000 at Harlow Magistrates' Court and ordered to pay £750 in costs.
The court heard how the company failed to produce a current Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance (ELCI) certificate when a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector visited the premises in June 2010.
All employers need to have an ELCI certificate and must show a copy to a HSE official immediately on request. When Ductwork Environmental Services failed to do this, it was issued with an ELCI "notice to produce" but the company failed to comply.
Ductwork Environmental Services admitted five breaches of Section 1(1) of the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969, for failing to hold ELCI.
HSE Inspector David King said: "The Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 requires all employers have insurance to cover employees for injury or ill health caused whilst at work.
"Failure to have such insurance could leave any employee who has an accident, or suffers ill health because of work unable to obtain compensation for their suffering, which potentially leaves employees doubly vulnerable.
"This case should serve as a warning to all employers about how seriously HSE takes this issue."
Sign up to our FREE email newsletters or subscribe to our RSS feed for regular updates on the latest construction news, construction tenders, construction data, and construction law.
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
