The employee of K Two Sales Ltd accessed the rear of a guillotine to measure some off-cuts. There were around 20 sheets of 4mm thickness stacked on top of each other. He tried to remove one of them causing the whole stack to fall on him.
The HSE’s investigation into the incident, which occurred on 10 January 2017, found the steel sheets were being stored without adequate means to prevent them from falling.
At High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court, K Two Sales Ltd of Station Road, Haddenham, Bucks pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined £22,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £1,647.20.
Speaking after the case, HSE inspector Stephen Faulkner said: “This injury could have easily been prevented had the risk should have been identified.
“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards”.
