Plasterboard Recycling Solutions fined £60,000 for health and safety failings

A plasterboard recycling firm has been prosecuted after HSE inspectors found it had no measures to protect pedestrians from coming into contact with moving vehicles at its site.

Luton Magistrates’ Court was told that health and safety standards at Bedfordshire-based Plasterboard Recycling Solutions were generally poor.

As well as issues with segregation, a routine inspection of its premises in September 2015 found that unsupported plasterboard stockpiles were leaning against buildings and machinery was not properly guarded.

One of the walls of the process building was bowing and the internal roof trusses were damaged. This led the HSE inspectors to concluded that the company, which holds several O-licences giving it permission for up to 13 vehicles and 13 trailers,  had failed to ensure that buildings were safe for workers to use.

Plasterboard Recycling Solutions had not adequately controlled workers’ exposure to dust, which covered the floors, walls, machinery and ledges. Exposures to dust on the premises were up to 20 times the legal limit.

The company was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,327.60 at Luton Magistrates’ Court on 28 November. It pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.

HSE inspector Emma Page said: “Employers should be aware of their legal duty to protect the health and safety of their employees.

“Duty holders should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

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