Jewson fined over non-compliant hard hats

Builders' merchant Jewson Ltd, was fined £14,000 for supplying hard hats that failed to meet the relevant safety standards.

Last January, Northamptonshire County Council trading standards officers arranged testing of hard hats against the requirements of the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002.

The investigation found that four hats purchased from Jewson branches did not comply with the shock absorption test in EN 397.

The helmets stated "complies with: EN397" and had been imported from China by the company, however, the only paperwork that the merchant could produce to back this up dated back to 2001.

Magistrates fined the Coventry-based business £2,500 on each of four offences and £4,000 for a further offence, while costs of £7,500 were also awarded to trading standards.

A spokesperson for Jewson's parent company, Saint-Gobain, said: "We can confirm that Jewson has appeared in court over Personal Protective Equipment which did not comply with Trading Standards' tests.

"These products have been removed from all Jewson branches with immediate effect.

"Jewson takes all matters of quality very seriously, and as such conducted its own investigation and report into the sale of these products."

"Whilst it concluded that the safety of the user was not compromised, it did confirm that the products did not conform to shock absorption safety standards or Jewson's high standards.

"Jewson accepts the decision of the Magistrate Court and has already taken measures to ensure that this regrettable incident does not reoccur."

Source : Builders Merchants Journal
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net/news/news.asp?id=9545&title=Jewson+fined+for+hard+hat+hiatus