A BUILDING firm has been fined just under £30,000 for failing to abide by health and safety rules on three separate occasions.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, inspectors discovered breaches when visiting a Manchester Road construction site run by Venus Properties and Development Limited.

The inspections were carried out between October 2019 to January 2020 and discovered failings including work at height breaches along with sleeping on site, lack of guarding on a metal guillotine, lack of electrical safety, wood dust and problems with safety during lifting operations.

HSE inspector Rebecca Hamer said: "Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards."

An investigation found that Hertfordshire based Venus Properties and Development failed to properly assess, plan and implement health and safety procedures and measures resulting in the repeated breaches giving rise to significant risk.

As a result, several prohibition and improvement notices where issued to the HSE and the firm was brought before Manchester Magistrates Court.

Venus Properties and Development pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act and was fined of £23,000 along with court costs of £6,917.60.

This came to a total of £29, 917.60.