Street light workman fined over toddler injury

Date:

16 September 2011

Release No:

COILDN/1609

A toddler was injured when part of a streetlight was dropped by a workman in Hackney as she was passing underneath, a court has heard.

One-year-old Taahyra Kasham was being pushed along a London street in her pram by her mum, Rajna, when a reflector from a streetlight hit her on the head.

Street light operative Joseph Parker, 25, who at the time of the incident lived in Romford, Essex, was fined after the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found he had not erected temporary barriers around the lamp while he was working.

City of London Magistrates' Court heard Mr Parker was instructed by his employers, Volker Highways Limited, to investigate a faulty street lamp on Gillett Square in Hackney on 20 January 2010.

However, when he detached the reflector at the top of the lamp post it fell toward the mother and daughter below. The one-year-old needed stitches to her wound, but her mum escaped unhurt.

The HSE investigation found the incident was entirely preventable. Temporary barriers should have been used to segregate pedestrians from the work area around the lamp before Mr Parker dismantled the reflector.

HSE Inspector, Zameer Bhunnoo said:

"This was a serious incident that needlessly injured a small child and caused her mother understandable distress.

"No blame can be attached to Volker Highways as Mr Parker had been properly trained by his employer to carry out this kind of work safely.

"Individual employees must realise that they face criminal prosecution by the HSE if they show a reckless disregard for health and safety, putting others at serious risk."

Joseph Parker, who at the time of the incident lived in Boxmoor Road, Romford, Essex, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 7(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He was fined £2,250.00 and ordered to pay costs of £2,888.00

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. www.hse.gov.uk
2. Section 7(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: "It shall be the duty of every employee while at work to take reasonable care for the health and safety of himself and of other persons who may be affected by his acts or omissions at work."
3. Information on risk assessments can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/casestudies/index.htm
4. Joseph Parker currently resides in Dagenham

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