Isolation, signs and working in the presence of the public

摘要

In this legal casenote, we look at a prosecution that resulted in total fines of ￡1.1 million for two companies after a tenant in a block of flats fell through the fragile surface of a balcony walkway that they were repairing. The walkway provided the tenant's sole access to her flat and, although construction workers had been working on it for four days, she had not been informed of the work or of any risks. Nor were there physical barriers to prevent her from stepping into the walkway.