A logistics company has been fined after a worker died when he was trapped between a trailer and his vehicle.

Dudley Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 22 January 2016, a Tuffnells Parcels Express Limited employee was fatally injured whilst attempting to attach a trailer to his vehicle. The trailer was parked upon a slight slope, which was enough to allow it to roll forward trapping the employee.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident found safety management arrangements for coupling trailers to vehicles failed to take account of the slope.

Tuffnells Parcels Express Limited of Wallows Industrial Estate, Dudley pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and has been fined £1.5 million and ordered to pay costs of £32,823.35

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Karl Raw said:

“Had Tuffnells taken the slope into account, simple measures could have been taken that would have prevented this incident. Workplace transport remains a high risk environment, and this case serves as a reminder to industry that assessments of sites should be specific and identify the hazards unique to each yard. It is also a reminder that the slope a vehicle is parked on does not need to be steep for incidents to occur.

“This was a tragic and wholly avoidable incident, caused by the failure of the company to adopt robust management action in both planning and monitoring of the workplace and workplace actions at this site.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. hse.gov.uk^[1]
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/ ^[2]
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk^[3]
4. Further information about health and safety in workplace transport can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/driving.htm

A HSE spokesperson said:

“While we assess the overall risk of exposure to be low, we have taken swift action. We have ensured that both of the supply companies concerned immediately ceased supply of the gauze mats and are overseeing arrangements to contact affected customers and provide precautionary advice on how the mats should be disposed of safely.

“We are working closely with Department for Education, education departments in Scotland and Wales as well as CLEAPSS (Consortium of Local Education Authorities for the Provision of Science Services). This will help us ensure that schools, colleges, local regulators, and others who may have supplied or purchased similar products are directed to our advice.

“We are also investigating how these particular gauze mats came into circulation. Breaches of the restrictions on the supply of asbestos are taken very seriously by HSE.”

About HSE

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk

A manufacturing firm in Worcestershire has been fined after a worker suffered crush injuries when wooden panels fell onto him.

Worcester Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 8 April 2017, a Global Displays Limited employee was injured when a stack of panels toppled over and crushed him. Several smaller panels were resting against untied, upright 4m x 1m panels, causing the whole stack to become unstable. The worker suffered a dislocated shoulder and fractured arm as a result.

 An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident found the company had failed to identify the risks from storing timber boards close to work benches and a thoroughfare used by employees. The company had not provided a safe place for the boards to be stored so they would not fall over.

Global Displays Limited, Global House, George Baylis Road, Droitwich, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £14,000 and ordered to pay costs of £ 1,179.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Alastair Mitchell said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out a risk assessment in relation to the storage of display panel boards. This would have identified the risks from unsafe stacking and the need for appropriate control measures, such as a method for storing boards safely.

“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

 Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. hse.gov.uk^[1]
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/ ^[2]
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

A security fencing manufacturing company has been fined after a worker sustained significant injuries on site.

Liverpool Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 23 February 2017, John Evans, an employee of Blok N Mesh Limited had been helping to manually load fencing panels into shipping containers when approximately 34 panels fell on him. Mr Evans suffered significant injuries as a result including; a broken left shoulder, fractured vertebrae in his neck, two broken ribs, contusions to his lungs, and soft tissue damage to his face.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), found that workers were put at risk by the company not having suitable control measures in place to load the panels safely to prevent them from falling. There had been two previous incidents of fencing falling on workers, which should have acted as a warning to the company that the loading procedure was dangerous.

The investigation also found that the company failed to ensure that work was sufficiently planned, risks were assessed and controlled and that a safe system of work was in place. The company subsequently loaded the fencing using specially designed stillages, eliminating the need for workers to be inside the container, and therefore significantly reducing the risk of injury.

Blok N Mesh Limited of Leytonstone House, Leytonstone, London, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) and Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £260,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,177.30.

Speaking after the incident, HSE inspector Helen Jones said “This incident could so easily have been avoided by ensuring workers weren’t put in a dangerous situation, where unsecured fence panels could easily fall and cause serious injury.

“This company had two previous accidents in identical situations, which should have served as a warning that the system in place was dangerous should they have heeded this warning, the serious injuries suffered by Mr Evans could have been prevented.”.

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. hse.gov.uk^[1]
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/ ^[2]
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk^[3]
4. http://www.hse.gov.uk/pUbns/priced/hsg246.pdf

Beverley Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 6 January 2017, a worker at Redhall Engineering Services Ltd was asked to decommission approximately eight or nine gas cylinders believed to contain oxygen. The employee laid the cylinders outside in the yard with the pressure release valves open to try and empty out any gas that remained inside. Later, the employee began to remove the pressure release valves from the tops of the cylinders.

On the last cylinder it became apparent that the valve was stuck and could not be removed. Another employee of the company came to help and they attempted to dislodge and remove the valve using a hammer. During this attempt the cylinder and valve separated violently as gas which remained in the cylinder was released. The cylinder fired into the workshop and struck two employees who were standing inside.

Both employees suffered serious injuries to their lower limbs, one sustaining a broken tibia and fibular to both legs, and the other a broken tibia and fibular to his left leg and extensive nerve and tissue damage. Both men required multiple surgeries and spent several weeks in hospital. One of them has still not been able to return to work.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that, at the time of the incident, there was no safe system of work in place for the decommissioning and disposal of old gas cylinders, and the company had not carried out a suitable risk assessment to identify the associated risks.

Redhall Engineering Services Ltd of Winestead Lane, Hull pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £14,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,687.00.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector James Harvey said: “This case highlights the serious risks posed by gas cylinders and how the correct disposal as well as cylinder handling and storage is fundamental to ensuring safety.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. hse.gov.uk^[1]
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/ ^[2]
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

A man has been sentenced to 18 weeks in prison after a worker received serious injuries from an electric shock.

Swansea Crown Court heard that, on 12 March 2014, Mr Hearne, under instruction from George Jones, sustained serious injuries whilst plugging a tyre stripping machine into a wall socket. The incident, which took place at Carew Cars, Carew Airfield, Pembrokeshire, could easily have led to a fatality.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the electrical installation at the unit in Carew Airfield operated by George Jones as part of his scrap metal business was unsafe and was more suited to a domestic premise. The socket in use was in poor condition with exposed wires. The roof of the building had holes in it and there was evidence of water ingress on the wall behind the socket which contributed to the incident.

George William Edward Jones of Strawberry Fields, Pembrokeshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 4 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison to run concurrently with his existing sentence.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Anne Marie Orrells said: “This case highlights the importance of regular proactive maintenance and inspection of work equipment, including electrical installations, to ensure that they do not deteriorate to the extent that it puts people at risk.

“In this case, George Jones failed to effectively maintain equipment and it could have resulted in a fatal injury.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk^[1]
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/ ^[2]
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

A Construction company has been fined after a tipper vehicle driven by one of its employees came into contact with overhead power lines during the construction of a waste transfer station.

Northampton Crown Court heard that on 9 March 2016 a driver employed by Mick George Ltd was emptying a load of soil from his tipper vehicle at a site in Northampton. Mick George Ltd had already identified the need for Permanent Protection Structures (goalposts) but after an initial delay only one was installed. In order to empty the final remains of the load from his vehicle, the driver pulled forward with the body raised and the vehicle touched, or came close to touching, the 33KVoverhead power lines (OPL’s). The tipper vehicle suffered minor damage but the driver was unhurt.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) showed that Mick George Ltd should have assessed the risks from OPL’s more rigorously and realised its system of work was inadequate to reduce the risk of tipper vehicles striking an OPL.

Mick George Ltd of Lancaster Way, Huntingdon, pleaded guilty to a breach of Regulation 25(3) of Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM). The company was fined £566,670 and ordered to pay costs of £9,000.

HSE inspector Stuart Parry, speaking after the sentencing said:

”Every year in the UK, two people are killed and many more injured when mechanical plant and machinery comes into contact or close proximity to OPL’s. This was a very serious incident and it is fortunate nobody was injured as a result.

“A suitable and sufficient assessment would have identified the need to contact the Distribution Network Operator, Western Power, to request the OPL’s were diverted underground prior to the commencement of construction. If this was not reasonably practicable, Mick George Ltd should have erected goalposts either side of the OPL’s to warn drivers about the OPL’s. “

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. hse.gov.uk^[1]
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/ ^[2]  
3. Further HSE news releases are available at press.hse.gov.uk