Green Facades pleaded guilty at Liverpool Magistrates鈥� Court to breaching safety regulations following HSE visit 

A flammable cladding removal and replacement company has been fined 拢240,000 for leaving 鈥渄angerous鈥� combustible material similar to that used on Grenfell Tower lying on balconies at a Liverpool housing block. 

London-based firm Green Facades, which was established in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, had been contracted to remove aluminium composite panels and combustible insulation material from The Circle, an eight-storey building on Henry Street in Liverpool.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Green Facades 鈥渉ad failed to take appropriate precautions to address the risk of fire and to ensure the safety of residents, workers, and others鈥�. 

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An HSE image of exposed combustible material on The Circle in Liverpool

At Liverpool Magistrates鈥� Court, the company pleaded guilty to breaching two aspects of the Construction Regulations Act 2015, regarding 鈥渞isks to health or safety鈥�. It was fined 拢240,000 and ordered to pay costs of 拢5,405.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Jackie Western, said: 鈥淭he disturbing irony of this case is that work to protect residents from fire risk ended up making the situation more dangerous.鈥� 

An HSE inspector first visited the site on 10 January last year and found that Green Facades had left combustible material exposed on the building. It also found 鈥渋nadequate鈥� means of escaping from the scaffolding the firm had erected in order to undertake the work.

When the inspector returned 11 days later, she found the situation had worsened with further combustible material exposed and no protection from potential sources of ignition, with cladding material having been left lying on residents鈥� balconies. 

The Circle building remained occupied during the works. Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service were alerted by the HSE following the 2022 inspection. 

The combustible cladding removed from The Circle was similar to that used on Grenfell Tower which caught fire in 2017 causing the deaths of 72 people.

>> See also 

>> See also 

Residents of The Circle building had been paying 拢3,284.40 a week for round-the-clock 鈥渨aking watch鈥� following guidance issued the the National Fire Chiefs Council 鈥渄ue to the building not complying with current building regulations,鈥� according to a letter published in . 

The HSE confirmed that Green Facades had been subject to an earlier enforcement for similar breaches during cladding removal at a site in London. At that time the company was provided with advice on sustainable compliance with the regulations.

鈥淭his 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,鈥� Western said.

鈥淒espite 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鈥檚 lives at risk.鈥�

Green Facades did not respond to a request for comment.