HSE warns of the dangers of working at height after man suffers serious injuries from 10-metre fall

Date:

3 July 2009

Release No:

HSE/WM/264/2009

Employers are being warned by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to ensure they assess the risks of falling from height in the workplace and provide safe systems of work.

This follows HSE's prosecution of Veolia Environmental Services Birmingham Ltd (VESB), of James Road, Tyseley, Birmingham and its contractor Hansen Transmissions Ltd (HTL), of Nile Street, Huddersfield.

On 5 July 2007, an employee of HTL was working to replace a gearbox within a condenser unit at VESB's premises when he fell more than 10 metres. Fortunately he landed on a pallet of bundled narrow bore copper pipes which broke his fall by absorbing much of the impact. However, he suffered serious injuries including broken ribs, a punctured lung and a hernia.

HTL was fined a total of £70,000 and ordered to pay £22,000 costs by Birmingham Crown Court today (3 July) after the company pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

VESB was fined a total of £100,000 and ordered to pay £22,000 costs at the same hearing after pleading guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

HSE investigating inspector Paul Smith said: "This incident resulted in serious injuries which could so easily have been fatal. The man involved is lucky to be alive.

"Falls from height are serious and are the major cause of fatal injuries across all industries.

"The system used by HTL was plainly unsafe - men, working 10m and more up in the air, were manoeuvring bulky plant using inappropriate methods, on and above an inadequate working platform, with markedly inadequate protection from the drop beneath.

"Any informed check upon this system of work should have identified its shortcomings and put a stop to it.

"VESB failed to properly monitor or manage the work being carried out by HTL.

"VESB apparently expected the use of scaffolding and harnesses but did not check that the work was being done that way. There were no checks by VESB on the adequacy of the health and safety arrangements being employed by HTL's staff.

"Site owners and operators must be aware of their duties towards contractors and others who work on their premises then take suitable steps to ensure their safety.

"Such failures are unacceptable, especially as HSE has published a wealth of advice and guidance for employers to help them reduce the risk of falls from height and has recently launched the 'Shattered Lives' campaign to raise awareness of slips, trips and falls in the workplace."

Note to editors

1. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety".
2. Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety".
3. Further information on how to prevent falls from height in the workplace and the Shattered Lives campaign can be found on the HSE website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/falls/index.htm

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News and PR West Midlands.