On 30 July 2018, Mr Francis Yardy used a forklift truck with an attached potato box to lift an apprentice electrician to a height of four metres to carry out electrical repairs at a potato storage warehouse near Ely. This was inherently unstable and the apprentice fell to the floor. The apprentice was admitted to hospital and sustained a punctured lung and broken ribs.
The HSE’s investigation found the apprentice’s employer had carried out a risk assessment and purchased suitable equipment for work at height, but that this was not used by the employee in charge of work at the site.
Mr Francis Yardy of Regent Avenue, March, Cambridgeshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £2,000 with costs of £560.40.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Graeme Warden said: “Unfortunately, forklift trucks are frequently used with potato boxes or pallets attached to lift people to work at height. This incident serves as a reminder of the potentially disastrous consequences.”
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I don’t condone the use of any unauthorised access equipment, but wonder, if the forklifts were regularly used with pallets or potato boxes to lift people to height, was the employer liable?