Boat builder fined after man breaks leg in four places

Date:

26 January 2012

Release No:

COISE/2601

A Hampshire company has been fined after a worker suffered multiple fractures when he was knocked off some steps at a disused factory in Southampton.

Southampton Magistrates' Court heard that Green Marine Ltd, a boat builder, was closing down its factory at Spitfire Quay, Southampton, and moving to new premises.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the company for a dangerous lack of planning, organisation and control of the work when closing the factory down.

On the 21 December 2010, Stephen Thompson, 59, from Southampton, was using some steps to check some work he was about to do at a height of about three metres. At the same time, a scissor lift being used nearby hit a shelf, dislodging a piece of timber which knocked the steps, and Mr Thompson, to the floor.

Mr Thompson fractured his right leg in four places and was in hospital for more than two weeks over the Christmas period. He was off work for 10 months and can no longer lead an active lifestyle because he cannot stand for long periods and is likely to have a limp for the rest of his life. He has been informed there is a strong likelihood he will suffer severe arthritis in his leg because doctors have had to remove much of the cartilage in his ankle.

The HSE investigation found the company managers did not plan the work to close the factory effectively. They did not ensure the appropriate equipment was available or adequately maintained, that staff were appropriately trained for the project, or, that work was being carried out safely so that staff were not being put at risk. This led to a situation where the factory floor was littered with different items, creating hazardous working conditions.

After the hearing, HSE's inspector David Bibby said:

"This case should highlight the importance of effective health and safety management. In their haste to get the factory closed down, Green Marine Limited failed to consider the risks apparent from this project and failed to ensure that work could and was being done safely.

"The consequence is that a time served, loyal employee has been injured to the extent that it will affect him for the rest of his life, all because the company failed to put in place the basic building blocks for managing health and safety risks."

Green Marine Ltd, of Hythe Marine Park, Shore Road, Hythe, Hampshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 3(1) and 5(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The firm was fined £26,666 and ordered to pay costs of £6,163.

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. Regulation 5(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states: "Every employer shall make and give effect to such arrangements as are appropriate, having regard to the nature of his activities and the size of his undertaking, for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of the preventive and protective measures."
3. Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states: "Every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of his employees to which they are exposed whilst they are at work; and the risks to the health and safety of persons not in his employment arising out of or in connection with the conduct by him of his undertaking."
4. Information on risk assessments can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/casestudies/index.htm

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News & PR South East