A construction company has been fined after a painter and decorator fell from an unprotected landing on the second floor of a house.

Reading Magistrates’ Court heard that, on 28 January 2019, the employee of R A Shayler & Son Limited suffered life changing injuries when he fell from a second floor landing down to the first floor, and then over the unprotected edge and down the stairs to the ground floor in a house in Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that edge protection had been in place prior to the incident but had subsequently been removed. The company had failed to replace the edge protection before the employee was directed to carry out the work.

R A Shayler & Son Limited of Pointer Place, Abingdon pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and has been fined £8,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,230.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Christopher Gregory said:

“Falls from height remain the most common cause of work-related fatalities and serious injuries in the construction industry, and the risks associated with working at height are well-known.

“Working at height, where open edges remain unprotected even for a short duration, or when accessing and egressing work areas can be particularly dangerous. It is important that those in control of the work identify the risks posed and ensure appropriate control measures are in place at all times to safeguard workers, ensuring that the risks are being controlled so far as is reasonably practicable.”

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
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk
4. Further information about health and safety when working at height can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/faq-height

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A company that designs, manufactures and distributes construction materials has been fined after an employee suffered serious injuries, resulting in his left arm being amputated.

Loughborough Magistrates’ Court heard that, on 13 August 2017, an employee of Saint-Gobain Construction Products UK Limited was seriously injured when a rock handling belt failed at the company’s plant in Barrow-Upon-Soar, Leicestershire. Two employees had been clearing rock that had built up around the belt; as the belt had become so compacted it was difficult to remove by hand. Both men went to the isolator end of the belt and removed the local isolation with the guards still removed and pressed the ‘start/stop’ button. On checking the tail-end of the drum they saw it had not cleared itself of rock. One of the men went to the opposite side of the tail-end drum to remove the rock and the pair were no longer in visual contact. His colleague pressed the start/stop button again whilst his colleague’s arm was in close proximity to the rotating drum and his arm was drawn in.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found there was no risk assessment or safe system of work in place for clearing rock safely from tail-end drums.

Saint-Gobain Construction Products UK Limited of Binley Business Park, Coventry pled guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and has been fined £400,000 and ordered to pay costs of £12,945.62.

Speaking after the case HSE inspector Michelle Morrison said: “This injury could easily have been prevented, had the risk have been identified. Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery”.

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
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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South Wales Police has been fined after an employee received an electric shock whilst installing computer data cables.

Cardiff Magistrates’ Court heard that on the 16 October 2015, at Bridgend Police Station, Brackla Street, a 48-year-old civilian employee sustained damage to his heart muscles when he came into contact with an exposed end of a live 3-core electrical cable which had been left in a ceiling void.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the Force had failed to ensure the electrical system was safe and that the ceiling void was a safe place of work.

South Wales Police Headquarters, Bridgend was found guilty of breaching Section 2 (2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, was fined £64,000 and ordered to pay £29,449.14 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, Neil Craig HSE’s head of operations commented: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.

“Police forces have the same duties under health and safety legislation as any other employer. It was appropriate for HSE to bring this matter before the courts given the avoidable, life-changing injuries suffered by their employee.”

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
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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Materials Movement Ltd and P J Labour Services Ltd have been fined after a worker was killed in an explosion at a demolition site.

Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 16 March 2017, 54-year-old Stephen Hampton, working at a site on Swains Lane in Camden, London, was killed when an old fuel storage tank he was cutting up exploded and the end of the vessel struck him causing fatal injuries.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found both contractors failed in their duties to effectively plan, manage and monitor control measures to address the risks associated with the demolition of a site that contained fuel tanks. The standards for this type of work are well known, established and clear.

Materials Movement Ltd of Clifton Road, Henlow, Bedfordshire pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 15(2) of Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and has been fined £33,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,675.38.

P J Labour Services Ltd of Technology Park, Colindeep Lane, Colindale, London pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 15(2) of Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and has been fined £33,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,648.18.

Speaking after the case, HSE inspector Ian Shearring said: “Mr Hampton had recently adopted two young boys and this incident leaves them, along with his wife, alone and struggling financially all for the sake of a bit more effort on both defendant’s parts. Both Materials Movement Ltd and P J Labour Services Ltd have today been held to account for killing Mr Hampton after failing to take adequate action to protect the health and safety of persons working on their site”.

“Neither company adequately assessed and controlled the risks of this highly dangerous work. It was left to the workers to devise their own methods of working, which was compounded by no site management.

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
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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Flybe Ltd has been fined today after an investigation into a worker falling into a lift shaft at Exeter Airport uncovered health and safety failings.

Exeter Magistrates’ Court heard that on 15 May 2016, a 34-year-old employee was moving a loaded lift trolley in the tool department of Hanger 2 when he fell into the lift shaft to the bottom floor and suffered injuries.

Although the exact cause of the incident could not be established, the HSE investigation found that the lift doors had a fault which meant that they defaulted to locked. As a result, the emergency door release key was being routinely used by employees to bypass the fault and therefore the lift’s safety devices.

Flybe Ltd of New Walker Hanger, Exeter Airport pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and has been fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £9,963.16.

Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector Emma O’Hara said: “Despite a fault, busy workers who were moving parts and tools felt compelled to keep the lift in use. The safety features of the lift were therefore made redundant.

“The lift should have been taken out of service or an alternative system of work should have been in place, and this should have been communicated.

“HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below 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. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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