A company that manufactures and supplies artificial trees has been fined £40,000 after one of its staff fell five metres from a ladder and suffered serious injuries while trying to retrieve stock.
The injured man was gathering products stored in boxes on shelf racking up to four bays high.
Newcastle Magistrates’ Court heard that staff would use a ladder to climb to height, then dismount the ladder to access stock on the racking. During this specific incident, the employee slipped from the ladder as he was remounting while carrying stock and fell approximately five metres, striking his head on a pallet and sustaining a head injury.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company had failed to properly plan the work, and had failed to ensure there was safe access to the area and that measures were taken to prevent and/or mitigate a fall from height.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching section 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations and was fined £40,000 with £1,620 costs.
Source – IOSH
