Company fined after a scaffolder was injured in fall from height.
11/08/2022
A Yorkshire based scaffolding company has been fined £33,333.33 and ordered to pay £14,368.40 in costs. They were ordered to pay after a worker fell around 4 metres through a fragile roof light on an asbestos cement sheet roof.
The worker sustained numerous serious injuries including; a dislocated and fractured wrist, crushed nerves in his wrist, a broken nose and also sprains to his shoulder and ankle.
An investigation carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) made the discovery that the scaffolding company did not identify that the workers were carrying out work on a fragile roof. Therefore, they failed to put measures in place that would prevent falls and protect the workers.
The HSE inspector commented: “Working on a fragile roof is a known risk in the industry and this accident could have been prevented.”
Company fined after worker loses tip of finger.
02/05/2018
A metal fabrication company has been fined £4,000 and also ordered to pay £957.65 in costs. The fine was issued after an investigation by the HSE after a worker was injured using a machine.
The incident happened when the worker was using a machine to drill a hole in a metal fence post. The glove on her hand got entangled with the drill-bit and the workers finger was amputated to the first knuckle.
The HSE inspector commented that: “This injury could have been prevented by putting in place a simple guarding measure.”
Construction company fined after death of worker.
02/05/2018
A Swindon based construction company has been fined £200,000 and also ordered to pay costs of £5565.80 after the death of a worker. The employee was driving a forward tipping dumper in May 2016. The dumper became stuck on a spoil heap, the employee then jumped off the vehicle, which then flipped over and caused serious head injuries to the employee. The employee unfortunately died from these injuries.
The HSE found that there were no barriers in place to prevent over-running. They also found that an excavator had removed some of the spoil heap which created a sheer face.
The HSE inspector said: “The risk associated with creating spoil heaps had not been properly assessed. Either the company should have decided on a safer method which avoided the need for the dumper to access spoil heaps (as they have done after the accident), or they should have introduced stricter management arrangements which would have included bunds at a safe distance from the edge.”
These cases are just a few examples of what happens if health and safety is neglected. They also demonstrate how serious the consequences can be for the workforce.