Renault Retail Group has been fined after health and safety inspectors discovered evidence of serious safety breaches relating to faulty vehicle lifts at its dealerships in Coulsdon and West London.

Hendon Magistrates’ Court heard how Renault Retail Group UK Limited repeatedly failed to ensure that the vehicle lifting equipment at the sites was maintained in an efficient working order and in good repair.

“This resulted in its workers using faulty vehicle lifts which put technicians in danger”, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said in a statement after the hearing.

An investigation found that, despite warnings that the vehicle lifts posed a danger to users, between October 5, 2015, and September 29, 2016, Renault Retail Group repeatedly failed to ensure its workers did not use the defective lifts.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Jane Wolfenden said: “These breaches could have led to a very serious incident and it is fortunate nobody was injured as a result.”

Renault Retail Group UK Limited, Concord Road, West Avenue, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 5 (1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) and Regulation 10 (3) (a) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998 and were fined £200,000 and ordered to pay costs of £17,217.84.

Wolfenden said: “This case highlights the importance of maintaining work equipment in a safe condition in order to protect workers from danger.”

Commenting in response to the case, a statement from Renault Retail Group said: "Renault Retail Group UK Limited acknowledges the non-compliance with Health & Safety regulations in 2015, mostly related to some technical defects on four vehicle lifts (ramps) in two garage workshops in the Greater London area. 

"Renault Retail Group UK Limited takes the safety of workers and customers extremely seriously, and while nobody was harmed or injured, Renault Retail Group UK Limited has taken significant measures across the group to ensure that these historical non-compliances do not reoccur.”