Waste
Away Skip Hire (Liverpool) Ltd and its
director Leanne Koo have just been prosecuted for safety failings at South
Sefton Magistrates Court. The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1)
of Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £14,000 plus £1791.50
costs and a victim surcharge of £120. Director Leanne Koo pleaded guilty to
breaching Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was
fined £1,000 plus £387.50 costs and a victim surcharge of £120.
On
16 April 2013 a full time company employee was struck by a reversing fork lift
truck and dragged under a rear wheel whilst he was sorting waste materials,
causing severe crush injuries to his leg and chest. The employee suffered horrific
injuries including broken ribs, a
snapped pelvis, a punctured lung and the removal of his spleen as a result of
the accident.
Magistrates
were told that a safe system of work was not in place, and a risk assessment
had not been carried out which should have identified the need to segregate
pedestrians and vehicles within the workplace.
It
was also claimed that the fork lift truck did not have any audible warning
siren or beacon for reversing or wing mirrors, and the rear window of the
machine was dirty except for the area covered by wipers. The truck had not been
subject to a thorough examination by a competent person as per the Lifting
Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 within the previous 12
months.
FLTs
are a key peice of equipment for all auto reyclers. Make sure you have
all your FLT safety arrangements in place. If you need any assistance
call or e-mail Phil Wass, out H&S specialist on (01773) 541441 or wassmanagement@aol.com
