Tag: fall from height

Housing Trust Fined after Worker is Injured

Posted on January 11, 2016 by - Accidents at Work

A housing trust based on Tameside has been fined following an incident in which a worker suffered serious injuries to his left hand as it was struck by the metal blade of a lawn mower. The young man suffered numerous broken bones and the amputation of his thumb and forefinger was needed.

Incident

The worker was using a ride-on lawn mower when the chute of the grass box that was attached became blocked. Manchester Crown Court heard that this blockage occurred often as the grass being mown was long and wet. In order to clear the blockage, the worker reached into the chute with his left hand which came into contact with a rotating metal fan.

As a result of this, the worker (who wishes not to be named) suffered serious injuries and has since been unable to use his remaining fingers or grip with his left hand.

HSE Investigation

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that New Charter Housing Trust had failed to provide the worker with professional training or to give precise instructions on the actions to take if the machine became blocked. The HSE’s investigation also highlighted that the trust had failed to take into account the risks of carrying out the work.

The court heard that as well as receiving a lack of training, the worker was not aware that the metal fan continued to rotate for around 30 seconds after the engine was turned off.

Sentencing & Fines

New Charter Housing Trust, of Cavendish Street in Ashton-under-Lyne was found guilty of a breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The Trust was fined a total of £140,000 and ordered to pay £70,000 in prosecution costs.

HSE Inspector Sarah Taylor said after the hearing:

“A young worker has suffered injuries that will affect him for the rest of his life but they could easily have been avoided. New Charter Housing Trust should have planned the work properly and provided appropriate training, so workers knew to wait for the fan to stop.”

Injury At Work – Expert Advice

If you have been injured in the workplace you could be entitled to personal injury compensation. Remember, we offer you a FREE no-obligation consultation – discover today whether you have a claim. Speak to one of our professional and friendly advisers today on 0800 888 6 888 or email

Source: Health & Safety Executive

Concrete Manufacturer Fined for Safety Failings

Posted on January 5, 2016 by - Accidents at Work

A company responsible for manufacturing pre cast concrete slabs has been fined after a worker suffered injuries on site.

Incident

On 8th August 2014, a contractor for Unbrako Precast Concrete Limited of Langar was stacking concrete units onto his vehicle via the use of a side loader when an attachment slid off the forks of the loader. As the attachment fell, it hit the worker & knocked him from the vehicle, leaving him with two broken ribs, fractures to both shoulders and a broken collar bone.

After carrying out an investigation into the incident, inspectors for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that there was an inadequate safe system for working and inadequate risk assessments.

Sentencing

Unbrako Precast Concrete Limited, of Southfields Business Park, Harby Road, Langar, pleaded guilty to offences under Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The company was fined a total of £26,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,579.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Lindsay Bentley said:

“This incident was entirely avoidable had the risks been adequately assessed. The injured person should not have been near the moving side loader or on the back of the trailer.”

Injury at Work – Expert Advice

If you have been injured in the workplace you could be entitled to personal injury compensation. Remember, we offer you a FREE no-obligation consultation – discover today whether you have a claim. Speak to one of our professional and friendly advisers today on 0800 888 6 888 or email

Source: Health & Safety Executive

Firms Fined £1.3 million Following Death of Scaffolder

Posted on January 4, 2016 by - Accidents at Work

Two firms have been prosecuted and fined a total of £1.3million following the death of scaffolder John Altoft, 29.

Incident

Warwick Crown Court heard that in January 2012, a team of workers from Cape Industrial Services Ltd, including Mr Altoft, were erecting an access scaffold at the Cemex Cement Works in Rugby. Whilst the workers were inside the Cyclone 1 tower, concrete debris fell onto Mr Altoft and a colleague, Ty Smart. The falling debris caused Mr Altoft to fall seven meters to the bottom of the tower and he suffered fatal head injuries. Mr Smart also suffered serious fractures to his wrist and arm and has not been able to work since the incident.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors explained to the court that the two companies, Cemex UK Operations Ltd and Cape Industrial Services Ltd Scaffolding, should have worked together to plan the high risk job to a higher standard.

Sentencing & Fines

After pleading guilty to breaching Section 3 of the Health & Safety at Work Act, Cemex UK Operations Limited of Coldharbour Lane, Surrey was fined a total of £700,000 and ordered to pay costs of £90,783.78.

Cape Industrial Services Limited, Stockley Bridge, Uxbridge, Middlesex admitted breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act. The company was fined a total of £600,000 and ordered to pay £90,783.78 in costs.

Sue Thompson, HSE Inspector, said after the hearing:

“John Altoft should have been celebrating his wedding, but instead his family suffered a terrible loss.

“This was an entirely preventable incident and proper planning and protection from the foreseeable danger of falling material would have prevented this from happening.”

Injury at Work – Expert Advice

If you have been injured in the workplace you could be entitled to personal injury compensation. Remember, we offer you a FREE no-obligation consultation – discover today whether you have a claim. Speak to one of our professional and friendly advisers today on 0800 888 6 888 or email

Source: Health & Safety Executive

Liverpool firm in court over fork-lift injuries

Posted on May 6, 2015 by - Accidents at Work

Waste Away Skip Hire (Liverpool) Ltd has been fined for safety failings after one of its employees was struck by a fork lift and dragged under a rear wheel in an accident at work.

What happened?

The employee had been picking through waste materials when he was hit by the reversing forklift, sustaining severe crush injuries to his leg and chest.

He suffered broken ribs, a snapped pelvis, a punctured lung and the removal of his spleen as a result of the accident.

An investigation into the accident at work incident found that the fork lift truck didn’t have wing mirrors, an audible warning siren or a beacon for reversing. Additionally, a safe system of work was not in place, and a risk assessment had not been carried which should have identified the need to segregate pedestrians and vehicles within the workplace.

What was the outcome?

Waste Away Skip Hire (Liverpool) Limited was fined £14,000 plus £1791.50 costs and a victim surcharge of £120 after pleading guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

The director of the company, Leanne Koo, also pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £1,000 plus £387.50 costs and a victim surcharge of £120

Accident at work compensation claims

If you have been affected by an accident at work, and you would like expert advice, contact Hampson Hughes Solicitors today on 0800 888 6888 or email
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The Employment Liability and Public Liability Process

Posted on February 4, 2014 by - Accidents at Work, Road Traffic Accidents, Slips, Trips & Falls

by Jonathan Alderton, Hampson Hughes Solicitors

Our approach in advancing each Employers’ Liability (EL) and Public Liability (PL) claim is all encompassing – meaning that we will take care of everything. Due to the often complex nature of these claims, seeking expert assistance from trained professionals could mean the difference between the eventual success or failure of the case.

Employers’ liability

The first step in bringing a successful claim is to establish liability. In the case of an accident at work, there is the potential for a culture of blame sharing to arise between a company and its subsidiaries – locating a solvent and viable insurer that is willing to accept that its corporate client is at fault could prove difficult.

However, through a combination of gathering information from Companies House and from the Employers’ Liability Trading Office (ELTO) – alongside carefully analysing information supplied by the Client – locating the correct party against which the claim may be brought could take less time than you might think.

Public liability

In the case of Public Liability tripping claims, we look toward photographic evidence and Locus Report facilities in order to identify the responsible party.

Recently, my colleague Andrew Fairman wrote a blog on a case that focused on establishing liability – the study raised the question of landowner liability in cases of trips or falls on adjacent unadopted highways. Another recent case involved tracing the history of a highway to 1835, so as to raise a presumption of a local Council’s liability. One further example involved applying the Montreal Convention to an accident involving a multinational airline, so as to establish the boundaries of the duty of care owed to its passengers.

The above examples serve as evidence of our ability and determination in successfully settling your claim.

Personal injury compensation claims

If you have been involved in a non-fault accident, and you believe that you would benefit from the creative thinking that sets us apart from our competitors, contact Hampson Hughes Solicitors today. Call 0800 888 6888 for a free and confidential consultation with one of our experts.

Company Fined Over Fatal Accident at Work

Posted on January 22, 2014 by - Accidents at Work

A teenaged apprentice engineer from South Shields has been crushed and killed in an accident involving heavy machinery in the workplace.

What Happened?

In an investigation led by the health and Safety Executive (HSE), Newcastle Crown Court heard that Jason Burden, 19, was reassembling the 970kg machinery when it overturned.

HSE uncovered details that suggested Tyne Slipway & Engineering Co Ltd (TSECL) had known that the machinery was not fully stable, and did not take the proper steps to ensure the safety of workers.

What was the Outcome?

TSECL pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £75,000 and ordered to pay costs of £47,936.57

HSE Inspector Paul Miller commented:

“The risks associated with the maintenance of machinery must be assessed before work starts, and must take into account forces applied to the machine in order to ensure that appropriate control measures are used to guarantee the stability of the machine.”

Accident at work compensation – expert advice

If you think you, or someone you know, may have been affected by an accident at work, and you would like expert advice on this type of case, contact Hampson Hughes Solicitors today on 0800 888 6888 or email

Source: View Article

Worker Death at Merseyside Industrial Plant

Posted on January 21, 2014 by - Accidents at Work

A man in his 40s has lost his life while working at an industrial site in Merseyside.

The ambulance service responded to an emergency call on January 20th and discovered the man to be dead at the scene due to an apparent accident involving heavy machinery.

Police closed off access to Secure Disposal Services, Newton-Le-Willows, while a joint initial investigation into the man’s death was conducted by the St Helens CID department and the Health and Safety Executive.

A liaison officer has been appointed to the man’s family.

No other workers were injured in the incident.

Source: View Article