A paper sacks manufacturer that was fined £533,00 faced the largest penalty last month in a string of prosecutions that involved a work at height incident. In this case, an employee died as a result of the company’s failings.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act at Hull Magistrates’ Court in relation to the 2023 fatality that had taken place at its factory.
In its investigation, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the business had failed to implement a robust safe system of work. In this particular case, 51-year-old night shift worker fell around 3m from the unguarded edge of stationery metal rollers he was standing on. In the lead up to his fall, he had been operating one of the production lines when a blockage occurred on the machinery’s upper deck. As he was attempting to remove the blockage, the machinery was activated and struck him, causing him to lose his footing. His injuries from the fall were so severe that he died at the scene.
Source – IOSH
