Construction Management is the highest circulation construction-based publication serving the UK built environment.
News
Cladding removal firm fined £240k for ‘disturbing’ safety breaches
Katie Coyne Contributing Editor
Construction company Green Facades Ltd has been fined £240,000 for safety breaches while removing cladding from a Liverpool apartment block.
The cladding was similar to that used on the Grenfell Tower, where 72 people died in a horrific fire in 2017.
Green Facades was contracted to remove the aluminium composite panels and combustible insulation material from The Circle, an eight-storey building on Henry Street.
However, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors found cladding exposed and unprotected from sources of ignition and in some cases left lying on residents’ balconies.
This is not a paywall. Registration allows us to enhance your experience across Construction Management and ensure we deliver you quality editorial content.
Registering also means you can manage your own CPDs, comments, newsletter sign-ups and privacy settings.
A subsequent investigation found the company failed to take appropriate precautions to address the risk of fire.
HSE said the company also did not take account of published guidance on the safe removal of cladding. This was despite being subject to enforcement action for similar breaches, and already having been given guidance at a project in London.
Exposed combustible material on exterior of the building. Credit: HSE
HSE inspector Jackie Western said: “The disturbing irony of this case is that work to protect residents from fire risk ended up making the situation more dangerous.
“This prosecution highlights the need for responsible management of the removal of cladding. The potentially tragic consequences of fire involving this type of material are well known following the Grenfell Tower fire.
“Despite earlier interventions and advice from HSE, and the availability of a wealth of guidance from HSE and others, this company continued to fail in its duty to address the risk of fire, putting people’s lives at risk.”
Green Facades Ltd, of Woolwich Road, London, pleaded guilty to the safety breaches at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court and was fined £240,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,405.
Chain of events
The HSE first visited the building on 10 January 2022 where it discovered that the combustible cladding had been exposed as part of preparation for the removal work. The inspection also uncovered inadequate means of escaping from the scaffolding being erected.
At a further visit on 21 January, more of the cladding was found exposed and there was no protection from potential sources of ignition. The combustible cladding material was also discovered lying on residents’ balconies.
The buildings were still occupied during the works and so the HSE contacted Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, which took its own enforcement action.
Combustible material exposed where scaffold is attached to the building. Credit: HSE
The January/February 2026 issue of Construction Management magazine is now available to read in digital format.
Powered Access
CM, in partnership with IPAF, has launched a new survey to explore the industry’s views and experiences with powered access machines on construction projects.
This is not a first step towards a paywall. We need readers to register with us to help sustain creation of quality editorial content on Construction Management. Registering also means you can manage your own CPDs, comments, newsletter sign-ups and privacy settings. Thank you.
