The HSE’s investigation into the incident, which happened in December 2016, found the company did not have a safe system of work in place to avoid this kind of incident. In particular:
Lemon Groundwork Solutions Limited of Russell Gardens, Wickford, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £100,000 with costs of £6,253.14.
After the hearing HSE Inspector Nikki Hughes said: “This incident could easily have been avoided by the implementation of affordable control measures, such as a lifting accessory being used on the forklift truck. Handling and moving rebar is a well-recognised industry risk, which the company failed to identify and manage, despite the activity occurring frequently during a working day.
“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
