A Derbyshire manufacturing firm and its director have been fined after
two teenage agency workers fell from a lifting platform.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the manufacturing firm and
one of its Directors after one agency worker broke his back in the incident on
6 April 2009 at the firm's depot in Tibshelf. His colleague, another agency
worker, broke both of his heels and needed pins and a metal plate put in his
feet.
The agency workers were helping to put scrapped trolleys into a skip
using a makeshift lifting platform designed by the manufacturing firms director
to fit a fork lift truck. As the platform was bringing the two workers back
down to the ground, it was caught and dragged off the truck's forks. The
workers and platform fell four and a half metres to the ground.
HSE inspector Fiona Coffey said:
"The company should have considered if it was necessary to use a
platform like this in the first place, and if it was, used something that was
legal and safe - this arrangement clearly was not.
The manufacturing firm was fined £22,000 and ordered it to pay costs of
£12,134 and a £15 victim surcharge.
The director was fined £3,500 and ordered to pay costs of £7,866 and a
£15 victim surcharge.
The injuries suffered by the injured workers could have been prevented
had his employers planned and implemented safety checks before such work was
undertaken and followed guidelines and standards in the design of the platform.
If you or a member of your family has been involved
in an accident which has resulted in you sustaining injury and would like a
free and confidential discussion with one of our specialised Solicitors, please
do not hesitate to contact us on 0800 389 1978 or visit our website at www.forsterdean.co.uk. You can also
follow us on Twitter (@ForsterDeanLtd) and find Forster
Dean Solicitors on Facebook
Mofozzul Hussain LLB (Hons) -Office Manager (Birkenhead)
and Personal Injury Solicitor
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