A London-based property developer, Abraham Dodi, 61, has been fined £63,000 after a series of scaffolding safety violations and an attempt to deceive the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) with fraudulent photos.

Dodi appeared before Southwark Crown Court, where his real estate company, Nofax Enterprises Limited, was handed the substantial fine along with an order to pay more than £25,000 in prosecution costs on Tuesday, March 18, MyLondon reports.

History of Safety Failures

Presiding over the case, Judge Usha Karu, Honorary Recorder of Southwark, ruled that Nofax Enterprises must pay the penalty within five years following repeated failures to implement scaffolding safety measures, fire risk precautions, and dust management protocols. These violations occurred during the redevelopment of 101 Dalston Lane in Hackney—a planned four-storey residential block with a basement youth club—between late 2019 and early 2021.

Originally the site of St Matthias Boys Club, established in 1968 to provide sporting activities for local children, the old building was sold for £2.8 million to be converted into nine residential flats, with an agreement to secure the youth club’s future.

Upon completion, flats were listed from £450,000, while the ground-floor commercial space was marketed for over £1.1 million. The ground floor now serves as a personal fitness training space, while the basement is currently listed for £550,000.

Unsafe Scaffolding Triggers HSE Investigation

Work on the development commenced in February 2018, but by early 2020, public complaints began to surface regarding unsafe scaffolding erected over a busy road, prosecutor Shauna Ritchie told the court.

This prompted HSE’s first site inspection on February 26, 2020, where an inspector found unsafe scaffolding practices and lack of edge protection. Upon reviewing Nofax Enterprises’ history, the inspector discovered a pattern of safety violations dating back to 2014, linked to other developments at Station Road, Coleridge Road in Crouch End, and Kingsland Road in Dalston.

A meeting was scheduled with company managers to address the issues, but it was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

During a later site visit, Dodi personally assured inspectors that corrective actions would be taken. However, when HSE returned on October 28, 2020, they found the same hazardous conditions, with unsafe scaffolding and no fire alarms installed.

Ongoing Safety Breaches

Further site inspections by HSE inspector Gordon Nixon uncovered persistent issues, including poor dust management, flammable waste stored near ignition sources, and ongoing scaffolding hazards.

Despite multiple warnings and intervention efforts, Nofax Enterprises failed to comply with essential safety regulations, leading to the hefty fine and prosecution costs.

Dodi’s actions—and his failed attempt to mislead regulators—highlight the serious consequences of neglecting construction safety, particularly in densely populated urban areas.