Two company directors have been jailed and given combined fines of £1.6m after a wall collapsed killing five men.
Construction Management writes:
Ousmane Kaba Diaby, Saibo Sumbundu Sillah, Bangally Tunkara Dukuray, Almamo Kinteh Jammeh and Mahamadou Jagana Jagana were all killed when a 45-tonne wall collapsed on them.
The men were agency workers on the site occupied by Hawkeswood Metal Recycling Ltd and Shredmet Ltd (now trading as Ensco 10101 Ltd), in the Nechells area of Birmingham.
Wayne Anthony Hawkeswood and Graham John Woodhouse were found guilty on multiple counts after a five-week trial at Birmingham Crown Court in November last year. On Monday 15 May the same court handed them nine-month custodial sentences.
Wall collapsed just after 15 minutes of work
The five men were part of a group of eight agency workers brought to the site on 7 July 2016…
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the wall had previously been taken down then reassembled…
Hawkeswood Metal Recycling Ltd and Ensco 10101 Ltd (known at the time as Shredmet) were also found guilty of the two identical counts, bringing the total number of convictions to 12…
…HSE principal inspector, Amy Kalay, said:
“I hope the families and friends of the men who died find some comfort in today’s sentencing.
“The investigation into this incident was long and complex. Five men lost their lives in the most appalling of circumstances. Their deaths should not have happened. They went to work to earn a wage; that cost them their lives.
“These five men were placed into a working environment that was fundamentally unsafe. The failings of the companies and individuals brought to justice today were responsible for this tragedy.
“Health and safety regulations save lives. We will always take action against those who fail to protect their workers.”
