Cardiff company fined over worker fall

Date:

7 January 2011

Release No:

DR1712W10

A Cardiff-based truck and van company has been fined £20,000 after a mechanic fell from a makeshift platform attached to a forklift truck.

The 21-year-old HGV mechanic fractured his hip when he fell 15 feet at Fairwood Truck Centre in Rogerstone, Newport.

Watts Truck & Van (Cardiff) Ltd was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an investigation into the incident on 27 August 2009.

The makeshift platform from which the worker fell

Newport Magistrates' Court heard how the worker, who does not wish to be named, was standing on the platform while repairing a light at the top of a high-sided vehicle. The makeshift platform had been put together by a colleague from a wire surround, which had been screwed to a wooden pallet and placed on a fork lift truck.

The platform had not been securely fixed to the fork lift, so when the worker leant to catch a light bulb thrown up to him by a colleague, it fell, taking him with it.

The father-of-one needed an operation on his hip, was off work for a month, and has had to undergo numerous physiotherapy sessions since. He still suffers continuous pain in his hip and is no longer able to go running or boxing.

The HSE investigation found Watts Truck & Van (Cardiff) Ltd failed to ensure that work at height by its employees was properly planned and supervised and carried out safely.

The company which is based in Lydney, Gloucestershire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. It was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £3070.70 costs.

HSE inspector Paul Cartwright said:

"It's extremely fortunate that the injuries in this case were not more serious.

"Falls from height can easily be fatal. Where possible, employers should avoid the need for employees to work at height. Where it can't be avoided, they must assess the risks, ensure suitable access equipment is used, and make sure there is effective planning, training and supervision in place."

Falls from height remain the most common cause of workplace fatality. In 2008/09 there were 35 deaths, 4654 major injuries and a further 7065 injuries that caused the injured person to be off work for over three days or more, due to a fall from height.

For more information on working at height, visit www.hse.gov.uk/falls

Notes to editors

1. Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 states: "Every employer shall ensure that work at height is (a) properly planned; (b) appropriately supervised; and (c) carried out in a manner which is so far as is reasonably practicable safe, and that its planning includes the selection of work equipment in accordance with regulation 7."
2. 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

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News and PR Wales