Vehicle servicing company fined after employee crushed by a truck
Volvo Group UK Limited has been fined after an employee at the Cardonald Depot in Glasgow was crushed by a truck, leading to serious injury.
On 7 June 2016 an employee was testing the brakes of a low-loader truck unit and trailer. He had raised the trailer off the ground using a pit jack. He did not apply the truck handbrake or use any wheel chocks to prevent the vehicle rolling.
Whilst adjusting the brakes at the first axle, the truck unit rolled forward causing the jack to slip off the axle of the trailer, roll towards him and strike him on the body, crushing him against a set of steps in the pit and fracturing his spine.
An HSE investigation found that Volvo Group UK Limited had failed to provide a sufficient number of wheel chocks and failed to provide information, instruction, supervision and training of its employees in their use. Volvo Group also failed to provide a suitable induction in safe working practices for the employee.
Breach
Volvo Group UK Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 and Section 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Penalty
Volvo Group UK Limited was fined £13,333.33.
Employee fined after apprentice injured by fall from potato box
An employee has been fined after an apprentice sustained serious injuries when he fell from an unstable box lifted by a forklift truck.
On 30 July 2018, the employee used a forklift truck with a potato box attached to lift an apprentice electrician to a height of four metres in order to conduct electrical repairs at a potato storage warehouse near Ely. The box was inherently unstable, leading to the apprentice falling to the floor. The apprentice was admitted to hospital and sustained a punctured lung and broken ribs.
An HSE investigation found that although the apprentice’s employer had carried out a risk assessment and purchased suitable equipment for work at height, this was not used by the employee in charge of work.
Breach
The employee, Francis Yardy, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
- Section 7 applies duties of every employee while at work.
Penalty
Francis Yardy was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £560.40.
Solar panel company fined following worker fall
A company has been fined after a worker fell through a skylight when installing of solar panels on a farm workshop in East Sussex.
On 23 July 2018 the employee was carrying out installation work on a fragile roof. As he stood to move, he stepped on the unprotected skylight and fell approximately four metres to the workshop floor below. The employee sustained multiple and long-term injuries to his wrist.
An HSE investigation found that although the company knew the risks from fragile surfaces and unprotected edges, the company had failed to plan or supervise the work to prevent access to hazardous areas. Therefore, workers were at risk from falls throughout the job.
Breach
SolarUK Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
- Regulation 4(1) requires employers to ensure work at height is properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out in a manner which is so far as is reasonably practicable safe. This planning must include the selection of appropriate work equipment.
Penalty
SolarUK Limited was fined £40,000 and ordered pay costs of £2,000 in addition to a victim surcharge of £170.
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