Vesivek, which specializes in roof repairs, already received the 12th community fine for safety deficiencies in its construction sites. In the judgment handed down in February, shortcomings were pointed out in the fall protection of the company’s site and in the safety of asbestos work.
For roof repairs, Vesivek Oy, which specializes in rainwater systems and roof protection products, says it is starting power inspections to ensure the safety of its asbestos demolition projects. According to its press release, the company also intends to enhance the training of its employees.
The Regional Administration Agency (avi) sent a press release on Wednesday, in which it pointed out that Vesivek had received 12 community fines for safety deficiencies over a period of just over ten years. According to Avi, the company has repeatedly received an unjustified competitive advantage by neglecting occupational safety.
Vesivek says in its press release that the vast majority of the events that led to its previous fines were dated between 2011 and 2016, and most of the judgments concerned insufficient fall protection. The company says that since 2018, it has used scaffolding that goes around the house in all small house sites.
“Since the introduction of the scaffolding, we have received a lot of positive feedback from both the authorities and our customers that our fall protection is the best in the industry thanks to the scaffolding. Now we ensure that the safety of our asbestos contractors is at the same exemplary level”, CEO of Vesivek Kimmo Riihimäki says in the company’s press release.
Last a community fine was imposed on the company in February of this year, when the District Court of Central Finland sentenced Vesivek to a community fine of 25,000 euros and the company’s unit manager and foreman to a 25-day fine for an occupational safety crime. The company does not intend to appeal the court’s decision.
According to Avi’s press release, for the company’s CEO, the charge of an occupational safety crime was dismissed due to the statute of limitations.
The most recent case was related to the roof renovation of a single-family house in Keuruu that was carried out in the fall of 2020, and the work safety inspection of the site revealed deficiencies in fall protection and the safety of asbestos work.
According to Avi’s press release, there were deficiencies in, among other things, the asbestos survey carried out on the construction site, the carefulness of the demolition work, the training of workers, the delimitation of the asbestos exposure area and the prevention of the spread of asbestos dust.
About that According to the Regional Administrative Agency of Western and Central Finland, exposure to asbestos can cause serious illnesses and even premature death.
According to Avi, workers exposed to asbestos usually do not experience any symptoms at the time of exposure, but the consequences of exposure are often only visible years or even decades later.