A national truck, bus and plant company has been fined £900,000 after a workman fell from a step-ladder and suffered head injuries in September 2015.
Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard how the workman was servicing a large delivery truck and repairing the driver access rope for the cab when he fell and struck his head.
HSE investigators found that the step-ladder used was damaged and the anti-slip feet on the ladder were worn. The ladder was not the property of the company and had not been maintained or checked to ensure it was suitable for use.
At the time of the incident the company had not trained their staff to select, inspect and use access equipment for work at height.
Prosecution is “not about banning ladders”
The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £900,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5820.28 costs.
HSE inspector Nick Wright said,
“This worker suffered life changing injuries that could have been prevented by simple health and safety precautions. The case is not about banning ladders, on many occasions they are the right equipment to use when working at height, it is about companies ensuring they properly maintain their work at height equipment and train their workers on how to inspect them and select the correct tools for the job. As this case shows, even a fall from a relatively small height can have devastating consequences.”
