HSE Prosecutes Firm Over Safety Failings
A company based in Leigh has been fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs in relation to a work accident in which an employee suffered a head injury.
Serviceplan Contracts Ltd admitted to breaching workplace safety regulations in relation to the incident in August 2010, when a 29-year-old man fell off a forklift truck at an industrial estate while trying to climb onto its roof to undertake work on the machine.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive revealed it was common practice for workers to service the vehicles by climbing on them, even though they should be given a stepladder or mobile steps to do the work.
Stephen Nye, a Partner and workplace injury specialist at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Our work has highlighted just how serious falls from height can be, with many of victims we act for suffering serious head or back injuries as a result of such problems.
“It is a sad truth that incidents like this are often avoidable, simply through following the necessary safety guidelines and ensuring workers are given the best possible training, supervision and suitable equipment to do their work.
“Safety must always be a priority in all kinds of work environments, particularly in industrial settings where the risks facing employees can often be significant. Lessons need to be learnt from incidents like this if we are going to see an improvement in safety standards in the future.”
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