Two Companies in Court over Health and Safety
A construction worker has suffered two broken legs due to a safety issue at a construction site in Leeds. The worker suffered from the injuries due to a 22-tonne excavator reversing over on him. The worker was 58 years old at the time of the incident. He suffered more than just broken legs from the crushing excavator since it backed into him while he worked on the boundary fencing at the building site. The incident occurred in 2008.
Jack Lunn was the employer of the worker and owner of Jack Lunn Ltd. The other contractor, Fastsource LTD, and Jack Lunn were prosecuted by the HSE after health and safety investigations. Leeds Court heard the case wherein the worker was sent to the site in order to do preparatory work such as the fencing and site cabins. The incident occurred on a day that a Fastsource employee was operating the large machine near the access road. The driver and another employee were told to watch out for other workers and make certain that the movement of the excavator would avoid any workers nearby.
The injured worker was fixing a panel and saw the tractor go by him and then he heard it reversing back down his way. He had on the proper visibility vest and the driver had already passed him once. The health and safety of the man was not watched over since the worker believed he was safe given the driver going by him once. He also had proper clothing on so that he would be noticed.
