Paul Cartwright, of Llandaff, trading as Cartwright Construction, was prosecuted by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) over safety failings at a building site off Conway Road, Pontcanna, Cardiff.
Cardiff Magistrates' Court heard that during a visit to the site on 28 September 2011, an HSE inspector saw two employees standing on the outer edge of a partially-completed first storey structure.
There was no edge protection to prevent workers from falling outward from the beams or inwards through the partially-completed floor. There were also no scaffolds, nets or fall protection.
The HSE found that the company had no on-site method statement for working at height and neither Mr Cartwright nor the site foreman had received adequate site manager safety training.
A prohibition notice was issued for work at height issues and an improvement notice was issued the next day for site manager safety training.
The court was told that the HSE had previously issued enforcement notices on Mr Cartwright's company in 2007 for work at height issues, and the company was warned at the time to look at its site manager safety training. Both Mr Cartwright and his site foreman had continued to work at the company without receiving this training.
Paul Cartwright, of Station Road, Llandaff North, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 6 (3) of the Work at Height Regulations 1995. He was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,027.
HSE inspector Simon Breen said: "The dangers of working at height without adequate edge protection are very clear, yet companies and individuals continue to take risks and cut corners.
"Cartwright Construction was well aware of the precautions it should have taken but decided to ignore them. Falls from height are a major cause of workplace fatalities. This case should serve as a warning to others that if you work without the right equipment and put workers at risk, you will end up in court."
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