Leeds company fined after man crushed to death

Date:

21 May 2010

Release No:

YH/165/10

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today (21 May) prosecuted a Leeds freight company after a man was crushed to death unloading a case of glass from a cargo container.

Roadways Container Logistics Limited, of Valley Farm Way, Stourton, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at Leeds Crown Court, in relation to the incident. The company was fined £250,000 and ordered to pay £100,000 costs.

The court heard that on 6 April 2006 admin manager Alan Fletcher, from Leeds, along with two cargo handlers and a supervisor, had been present as cases of glass were being unloaded from an open top freight container at Roadway's container base in Stourton.

Mr Fletcher was crushed when he tried to stop the final case, weighing approximately two tonnes, from falling as it was being lifted from the container.

The court also heard that neither 59-year old Mr Fletcher, nor his colleagues, had received the appropriate training in lifting operations. There had also been no risk assessment or formal planning carried out prior to the incident and the case had not been properly secured.

Following the hearing, HSE Inspector Morag Irwin said:

"Today's hearing highlights the importance of having an effective system in place for managing health and safety generally and specifically when lifting heavy goods, and I hope it serves as a warning to other companies.

"In this case, the measures in place were grossly inadequate; there was a failure to carry out a risk assessment or formal planning, as well as a lack of training, all of which resulted in the tragic and unnecessary death of an employee that so easily could have been avoided.

"HSE has produced a lot of guidance on this matter, which can be downloaded from our website, and I would urge other companies not to take any chances when it comes to carrying out lifting operations."

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related 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: (1) 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. Lifting equipment at work: A brief guide can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg290.htm
4. HSE information and news releases can be accessed on the Internet http://www.hse.gov.uk

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