January 23, 2019

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In Court

Slipped ladder led to shattered elbow

A cladding firm has been sentenced for safety breaches after a worker shattered his elbow in a fall from height.

Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 27 February 2017, the worker was using a ladder to access a flat roof to fit the capping on a security office gatehouse at a poultry processing factory in Thorne, Doncaster.

An investigation by the HSE found that a ladder was being used as access to stand on the roof of the security gatehouse. The ladder was resting against wet metal wall cladding and was not tied or being footed. The worker climbed the ladder to fix some capping. As he neared the top of the ladder, it slipped, and he fell approximately three metres to the ground below.

GB Industrial Cladding Ltd of Ashbank House, Union Road, Thorne, Doncaster pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4 (1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined £10,000 with £1,238 costs.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Trisha Elvy commented: “This case highlights the importance of proper planning and supervision of work at height.

“This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.”

How to work safely with ladders and stepladders


A round -up of the biggest health and safety court cases from December 2018.

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