HSE prosecutes following workers death
A poorly maintained access cradle and insufficient training in how to use it lead to one worker dying and three others being injured - 1st August 2008
Wednesday saw fines
handed out to two companies involved in a tragic
accident in which an access cradle collapsed leading
to one fatality and three other men suffering
injury
at work.
The men were supposed to be maintaining and painting
an office building when this
accident at work
happened on 3rd July 2003 in Vicar Lane, Sheffield.
Apollo Cradles Ltd of Barnsley, who provided the
access cradle, failed to check that it was safe and
fit for use. This coupled with the men's employers,
Bradway Construction Ltd of Sheffield,
failing to
ensure that the correct training had been provided
to the workers lead to this avoidable and tragic
accident.
The prosecutions brought by
the Health and
Safety Executive (HSE) found Apollo Cradles Ltd,
guilty at an earlier hearing and they were fined
£115,000 with costs of £45,000 for breaching
Sections 3(1) and 36 of the Health & Safety at Work
etc Act 1974, which states that: "It shall be the
duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in
such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably
practicable, that persons not in his employment who
might be affected thereby were not thereby exposed
to risks to their health or safety."
Bradway Construction Ltd who had pleaded guilty at
an earlier hearing were fined £25,000 with costs of
£18,000 for breaching Section 2(1) of the Health &
Safety at Work etc Act 1974, which states that: "It
shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so
far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety
and welfare at work of all his employees."
This is a tragic accident that could have been
prevented if the correct
health and safety measures
had been taken. Falls from height are a major cause
of fatalities and injuries in
accidents in the
workplace, many of which could be prevented if the
correct training had been provided and correct
safety measures were in place.
