Boat builder prosecuted for health and safety breaches
An internationally recognised boat builder on the Isle of Wight has been prosecuted for neglect of safety and health. A worker fell from a staging platform that was set up around a boat. The employee was refurbishing the boat. This employee was with the company for 16 years. During the work, he was trying to pick up a sanding machine from the platform. He fell 1.4 metres causing a broken arm during the landing.
The HSE was brought in to conduct health and safety audits to determine if Clare Lallow LTD was at fault for the incident. It was then found the company was not following health and safety at work policies under the safety and health act.
The company failed to prevent any falls from the staging. The incident happened in 2011 and the worker had to be out of work for five months so that his arm could heal. Had ropes or guardrails been in place safety measures would have been accounted for. The HSE stopped work at the boat yard until safety measures were put in place and decided a prosecution was necessary. The company was fined £1,000 and an additional £1,000 in costs. The boat company has returned to working with proper safety and health measures since the incident and it seems they have learned the lesson not to forget proper safety at any time, even during a refurbishment project.
