London Firm and Director Fined Over Dangerous Roof Work, North London 2026

Key Points

• London-based construction firm B&O Developers Ltd and its sole director, Sanjay Swaminarayan, have been fined following unsafe roof work in King’s Cross, north London.
• Members of the public alerted the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after photographing workers operating at height without edge protection or basic safety controls.
• Operatives were photographed standing on a makeshift platform balanced precariously on a stepladder to access the building’s roof.
• Regulators had previously intervened between November 2021 and September 2023, issuing enforcement actions against both Hubb Construction Ltd and B&O Developers Ltd.
• B&O Developers Ltd was fined £4,020 plus a £1,608 surcharge, whilst director Sanjay Swaminarayan was fined £2,300 with £8,000 in court costs and a £1,108 surcharge.

North London (North London News) August 19, 2026 — A London construction firm and its sole director have been ordered to pay thousands of pounds in fines and court costs after putting workers’ lives at severe risk during unsafe refurbishment works on a hotel roof in north London.

What led to the prosecution of B&O Developers Ltd and Sanjay Swaminarayan?

The prosecution arose following a series of public complaints regarding dangerous practices at a major hotel refurbishment project on King’s Cross Road, north London. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched a formal investigation into London-based B&O Developers Ltd and its 48-year-old sole director, Sanjay Swaminarayan, after local residents and passers-by raised immediate safety concerns regarding ongoing construction activities.

The firm had been undertaking an extensive extension and refurbishment project on what is now the King’s Cross Express Inn. During the works in January 2024, members of the public photographed workers operating high on the building’s roof without fundamental safety equipment, such as edge protection or scaffolding, to prevent fatal falls.

The investigation revealed that workers had no safe method of accessing the elevated work areas. Inspectors noted that operatives, who were employed by a subcontractor, were photographed standing on a makeshift platform that was balanced directly on top of a standard stepladder.

What were the specific findings of the HSE investigation?

The regulatory authority confirmed that there were zero safety controls in place to prevent operatives from falling from height on at least two separate occasions during the project. Crucially, measures that had already been explicitly identified as necessary controls in the roofing subcontractor’s own risk assessment—including the erection of full scaffolding around the perimeter of the roof—were completely omitted from the site.

The overall construction project spanned from October 2020 until March 2024. During the initial stages, the project was managed by principal contractor Hubb Construction Ltd, where Swaminarayan served as a director. In March 2023, the role of principal contractor officially transitioned to B&O Developers Ltd. However, Swaminarayan retained his position as sole director, and all operational site arrangements remained entirely unchanged.

The watchdog confirmed it had been forced to respond to multiple safety concerns raised by the public and nearby occupants between November 2021 and September 2023. During this period, formal enforcement action was taken against both Hubb Construction Ltd and B&O Developers Ltd. HSE inspectors had also held direct face-to-face meetings with Swaminarayan to detail how he could reform site management arrangements to secure sustained compliance with health and safety laws. Despite these repeated formal warnings and guidance, further reports of dangerous work at height were received in January 2024.

What fines and legal penalties were handed down by the court?

Appearing before the City of London Magistrate’s Court on 22 July, both the corporate entity and its director entered guilty pleas to health and safety breaches.

B&O Developers Ltd, registered at Prince Albert Road, London, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The court imposed a fine of £4,020 alongside a victim surcharge of £1,608.

Sanjay Swaminarayan, residing at St John’s Wood Court, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work (etc) Act 1974, by virtue of Section 37(1). He was personally fined £2,300, ordered to pay a surcharge of £1,108, and instructed to pay £8,000 in prosecution court costs.

Following the sentencing hearing, HSE Inspector Lucy Ellison-Dunn stated that the working practices of both the company and Swaminarayan had directly put lives at risk. Ellison-Dunn highlighted that Swaminarayan was fully aware of the strict legal requirements for safe working at height, having received extensive guidance from both the HSE and his own appointed health and safety advisors on multiple occasions. She added that despite repeated assurances to improve site practices, Swaminarayan failed to ensure suitable fall prevention controls were established and neglected to properly supervise those hired to manage and carry out the works.

Background of the particular development

Working at height remains the single largest cause of workplace fatalities and severe injuries across the UK construction sector. According to official statistical publications released by the Health and Safety Executive, falls from height accounted for over a quarter of all work-related fatalities across British workplaces in the 2025/26 reporting period.

Under established statutory guidance from the HSE, any roof work carried out must adhere to strict minimum standards to safeguard workers. These requirements dictate that sites must feature safe, secure means of access to the roof structure—such as properly tied stair towers or secured ladders—as well as a designated safe place of work equipped with suitable edge protection, double guardrails, and toe-boards to prevent workers and materials from falling.

The legal framework governing these activities is established under the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and the Health and Safety at Work (etc) Act 1974. Under Section 37 of the 1974 Act, corporate directors face personal criminal liability if an offence committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with their consent, connivance, or to be attributable to any neglect on their part.

Explore More Local North London News

North London Park Set for Major Makeover in Pinner 2026

TfL Launches Major A41 Brent Cross Flyover Renewal in North London 2026

Prediction: How this development can affect construction employers and site workers

This judicial outcome sends a clear signal to directors and principal contractors operating across the urban construction and refurbishment sectors. By penalising both the corporate entity and the director personally, the court has reinforced the precedent that individuals cannot hide behind a corporate structure to evade accountability for site safety.

For construction employers and property developers, this case emphasizes that repeated regulatory interventions and informal warnings will inevitably escalate to criminal prosecution if ignored. Directors who manage multiple corporate entities across a single project’s lifespan will face strict scrutiny, as changing the named principal contractor does not reset or discharge statutory health and safety responsibilities. Construction companies can expect tighter oversight from local authorities and the HSE, alongside increased pressure to provide verifiable proof of risk assessment implementation before work commences.

For site workers and subcontractors, the successful prosecution underscores the role of public transparency and reporting in enforcing workplace standards. It highlights that subcontractors and individual operatives should not be forced to rely on improvised setups, such as stepladders and makeshift platforms, to complete high-risk tasks. The imposition of personal financial penalties on directors serves as a deterrent against cutting costs on essential edge protection, ultimately driving better health and safety compliance across high-risk urban construction environments.