Derbyshire firm fined for health and safety accident
A firm located in Derbyshire, along with its director, is being fined for employee accidents. Two teenaged workers fell from a lifting platform in 2009. The HSE was brought in to investigate after two 18 year old colleagues fell, breaking bones. Under health and safety audits, it was discovered that the manufacturing firm needed to be held responsible. One worker sustained a broken back. The other broke the heels of his feet and required a metal plate and pins to be put in his feet.
The teenage boys were working to put trolleys into a skip. They had a makeshift platform that would help them lift the trolleys. The platform was designed by Storetec and it was set on a forklift. The platform was bringing the workers down when it was caught, dragging the platform off the forks and therefore causing the 4.5 metre fall.
Proper health and safety training in terms of guidelines and standards for the platform were not given. The plate did not have chains or any option to secure it to the forklift; therefore, it was a danger to use especially with people being lifted on it. The workers had to sustain injuries because of an improper working environment. The company was fined £22,000 and £12,100 in costs. The director was fined £3,500 and £7,900 in court costs for the safety and health violations that led to the incident occurring at the firm.
Mitchell Winter
