An MOT test centre in London has been fined £10,000 after a 14-year-old boy was pinned to the wall by a vehicle while he was sitting in a waiting area.
On 4 May 2022, the boy was sitting alongside an adult awaiting the completion of an MOT. The chair was positioned right in front of the brake rollers; however, as the MOT technician attempted to reverse the car, it unexpectedly surged forward off the brake rollers, pinning the child against the wall. The teenager required urgent medical attention after sustaining multiple fractures in his pelvis. He was unable to attend school for more than a year and spent three months bedridden as a result of the incident.
An investigation by the HSE found that the company failed to ensure adequate safety measures were in place. The MOT Centre featured a designated ‘viewing area’ adjacent to the brake roller bay. This space was marked by a painted box on the floor, complete with a chair situated inside it. However, there were no safety barriers in place, and the business did not prevent customers from
The company admitted breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act due to its negligence in ensuring the health, safety, and welfare of individuals not employed by them. As well as the fine, Westminster Magistrates’ Court ordered the company to pay prosecution costs of £6,810 at the hearing last month.
Following the hearing, HSE inspector Michelle Morphy noted that this case underscores the fact that MOT Test Centres will be held accountable by HSE if they neglect to safeguard both employees and the public. ‘On this occasion, they failed to protect a child, by allowing them to move from their allotted viewing area into an operational area, which should have been restricted to workers only,’ she added.
Source – IOSH
