Company fined after a worker’s fall from height

A construction company has been fined after a worker fell from a tipping bucket on a forklift truck while dismantling equipment. The worker spent a prolonged period in hospital because of the incident.

The worker was contracted to dismantle pipework and was in an elevated tipping bucket on a forklift truck when he fell out of it landing on the concrete floor below. As a result of the fall, the worker sustained severe back injuries causing significant pain and struggles to walk.

The HSE found that the company originally intended to use a scissor lift which was too tall for the space which is why the decision was made to use the forklift truck as an alternative.

The company failed to have suitable arrangements in place to manage contractors and ensure their safety on site. The worker had not received any instruction or training in relation to the forklift truck or scissor lift, and the company had no procedure in place to ensure that only trained operatives could access the equipment.

The investigation revealed that the company had failed to adequately safeguard against unsafe work at height over a long period of time despite updated advice and guidance.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £90,000 and ordered to pay costs of £27,241.

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