Firm fined after teen worker's leg crushed by steel

Date:

6 May 2010

Release No:

WM109/10

A Wolverhampton manufacturer has been fined £8,000 after a teenage employee was trapped under a load of steel, breaking his leg.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Dranson Ltd after a 17-year-old worker was left pinned to the floor in agony after approximately 700 kg of steel fell off a trolley he was pushing. He needed several pins and metal plates in his leg and his recovery has been delayed due to complications with the broken and shattered bones.

The company, based in Bushbury, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. As well as the fine, it was also ordered to pay £3,603 costs.

Wolverhampton Magistrates heard how on 4 November 2009 at the firm's site in Bushbury in the city, the injured man was helping two other people to push a trolley loaded with lengths of steel into the warehouse.

As it was being pushed over a ramp, the trolley wheel became wedged in its lip and toppled to one side, falling onto him, pinning him to the ground and breaking his right leg in several places.

HSE investigations at the site found the condition of the floor had not been maintained and the trolley being used was not intended for outdoor use.

The court heard that Dranson had bought the business less than four years ago and had left unsafe practices in place which included transporting lengths of steel in this way.

HSE inspector Amarjit Kalay said:

"This was this young man's first job after leaving school and he suffered a nasty injury caused by a poorly-maintained work environment and unsuitable work equipment. Although it had been used in this role for a while, the trolley was really unsuited to this type of work and it was only a matter of time before something like this occurred.

"It is vital that when moving heavy items like this that the proper equipment and precautions are taken. Just because something has always been done in a certain way without incident, doesn't mean that it is the proper way of doing it nor that it should continue in that way.

"It should also act as a reminder to firms to carry out proper risk assessments. In this case it would have highlighted that incorrect work equipment was being used and something should have been done about it."

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training, new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement.
2. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees."
3. Visit http://www.hse.gov.uk for more information and other HSE press notices.

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News & PR (West Midlands)