Welcome to HSE prosecutions in brief. A selection of this weeks prosecutions by the HSE.
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Engineering firm prosecuted after workers fall from height
A vehicle engineering, design and testing firm has been fined after two employees were injured when they fell from a platform.
One of the workers, who does not wish to be named, broke his collar bone and needed to take six weeks off work after the incident at Mira Ltd’s Watling Street site near Nuneaton on 5 July last year. His colleague, who also wishes to remain anonymous, bruised his eye and cut the back of his head.
Nuneaton Magistrates’ Court heard today (9 July) that the two injured employees were among six workers helping to reinstall a large motorised fan in a ceiling. As they tried to push a heavy motor back into the fan a section of the mesh mezzanine platform they were stood on became dislodged and they both fell 2.2 metres to the ground below.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident and found the company had failed to properly plan the work at height. Even after the fall, Mira Ltd neglected to implement satisfactory safety measures and risks remained until the work was completed.
HSE identified there were further risks to employees as the task involved working around a void through which employees could fall.
Mira Ltd, of Watling Street, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for its failings. The company was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £9,305.
Comments from the HSE through the link.
British Standards relating to working at heights.
Builder fined for dangerous construction site
A Lincolnshire builder has been fined after a spot check by the Health and Safety Executive revealed his construction site was unsafe.
Andre Wilkin, trading as Hillen Projects, was the main contractor on a refurbishment scheme at Danesgate in Lincoln when an HSE inspector visited as part of a national construction safety initiative on 1 March 2011.
A scaffold, which was not being used at the time, was found to have numerous defects and the site itself was very untidy, with numerous slips, trips and fall hazards.
Lincoln Magistrates’ Court heard today (11 July) that Mr Wilkin was verbally advised about the three issues on the day of the visit and was sent a letter two days later detailing the actions he needed to take to bring the site up to an adequate standard.
A month later, a follow-up inspection was carried out but the defects on the scaffolding, which people were now working on, had not been remedied. A Prohibition Notice was served to prevent further work on the scaffold.
The site was still not organised in a safe manner and the hazards noted during the initial visit were still present. A second Prohibition Notice was served to stop any further construction work until a safe means of access around the site had been established.
Andre Baudouin Wilkin, of Market Place, Caistor, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 27(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and Regulation 4(1) (c) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 for his failings. He was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,800.
Photos and comments from the HSE through the link.
British Standards relating to construction site safety.
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