Employee’s Legs Crushed by Concrete Tennis Tables

A table tennis manufacturer based in Manchester has been fined following an incident in which a worker’s legs were crushed.

Trafford Magistrates’ Court heard the employee was attempting to manoeuvre a one-ton concrete tennis table, using an overhead crane, towards a stack of four other tables. However, the stacked tables were balanced on two half-empty resin barrels, which are not designed to take any weight. The court was told that as the worker began to lower the concrete table onto the others, the barrels collapsed causing the tables to fall onto the worker.

Other employees that witnessed to incident rushed to free the man who had become trapped between the concrete tables and the crane stanchion. The worker was freed and airlifted to Wythenshawe Hospital.

The court heard that the employee spent 10 weeks in hospital and has been unable to return to work since the incident that took place on 20 February 2015.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that the work had not been carried out, supervised or planned safely.

After pleading guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Bendcrete Leisure Ltd, of Aquaduct Mill, Tame St, Stalybridge, was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £3,495 costs.

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Source: Health & Safety Executive