A car wash in County Durham has been temporarily stopped from trading following concerns over working conditions.
Officers from the North East Regional Specialist Operations Unit (NERSOU) carried out a disruption visit to A T Car Wash Ltd, in Pickering Nook last Wednesday (June 15) after concerns were raised over the welfare of staff and their working conditions.
The visit, which was carried out alongside the National Crime Agency, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), found several hazards, which included badly burnt sockets with live wires hanging from ceilings which posed a serious risk to staff and customers.
As a result, the owner was issued with a prohibition notice, temporarily stopping them from operating until the identified faults have been resolved.
Kevin Benson, the Government Agency Intelligence Network co-ordinator from NERSOU, said: “This is another fantastic operation alongside our partners which has seen more workers protected from harmful working conditions that not only endanger them but the lives of customers.
“This type of robust action will continue and this Prohibition Notice reinforces the messages that anyone found to be exploiting people or putting people at risk will face the consequences of their actions.
“I want to thank those who reported their concerns, and I would ask members of the public to continue to help us and act as our eyes and ears in the community.
“If you see something suspicious, or you have concerns about someone’s welfare, you should always report it.”
Officials from HSE visited the site and identified several dangerous electrical faults putting workers and customers at risk.
HSE served a prohibition notice to stop the use of the dangerous electrical systems.
The notice stops the car wash from operating until the identified faults have been resolved.
HSE inspector Ash Ali said: “Electrical systems must be installed and maintained by trained professionals. The electrical system we found at the car wash was extremely poor and could have resulted in someone being seriously injured or killed.”
If you have any concerns about a local business or individuals who you think might be at risk of exploitation, call police on 101.
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