Within the framework of its competence, the Labour Inspection Department of the Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance promoted the prosecution of employers and company directors who violated the provisions of the legislation on occupational safety and health issues. As a result of these prosecutions, the Limassol District Court sentenced in 2021 the following persons. The company "AH-ALKABUSINESSTRADINGLTD", operating in the construction sector, to a total fine of €4.400, for the following infringements of the Occupational Safety and Health (Minimum Standards for Temporary or Mobile Worksites) Regulations, the Management of Occupational Safety and Health Issues Regulations, the Occupational Safety and Health Laws and the Mandatory Employers' Liability Insurance Laws, which caused injury to one of its employees and endangered its employees and other persons:
(a) Failure to take the necessary measures to safely perform work at height, such as (a) using scaffolding or mobile work platforms and/or (b) safety belts with safety harnesses of sufficient strength with an anti-fall mechanism and/or energy absorbing device, resulting in its employee falling from a height of approximately 10 metres and sustaining serious injuries to various parts of his body.
(b) Failure to specify preventive and protective measures to be taken based on a written assessment of the risks present at work and specifically for work at height involving the repair of balconies.
[C](c) Failure to ensure that the safety and health plan was prepared so that it set out the site safety rules and specific measures for work involving specific risks to the safety and health of persons at work before it commenced.
(d) Failure to provide supervision during balcony repair work.
(e) Failure to insure with any insurer against its liability for accident or occupational disease to any of its employees.
2. The company "PRASTITIS MARMARA LTD", active in the marble, granite and ceramics processing sector, to a total fine of €12.000, for the following violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Management Regulations, and the Occupational Safety and Health Laws, which caused the serious injury and death of one of its employees and endangered its employees and other persons:
(a) Failure to take the necessary measures, such as the use of special pedestals (platform, stand) for the storage of marble slabs, which have supports to hold the slabs, so that during the process of transferring ceramic slabs from the storage area to the processing area, a bundle of ceramic slabs moved and crushed its employee, resulting in his serious injury and death.
Failure to determine the preventive and protective measures to be taken based on a written assessment of the hazards present at work and specifically the tasks involved in transporting (loading/unloading) ceramic tiles (heavy weight loads).
3. One manager to a total fine of €4,000, for breaches of the provisions of the legislation on safety and health at work.
4. One director to 5 months' imprisonment, suspended for three years, for breaches of the provisions of the legislation on safety and health at work.
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