An HSE inspector has slammed a boat company for a dangerous lack of planning during removal work at a factory, where a worker was knocked off some stairs.
Southampton Magistrates’ Court heard that Green Marine Ltd was closing down its factory at Spitfire Quay, Southampton, and moving to new premises. The factory had been left in an untidy state, and debris and refuse was littered across the site.
On 21 December 2010, Stephen Thompson, 59, was part of a team of workers that was removing a spray booth so it could be transported to the firm’s new factory. In order to remove the booth’s doors the men attached them to an overhead crane and began removing the hinges. Mr Thompson climbed up some portable metal steps so he could remove the middle bolts. However, he soon realised that the steps were not tall enough for him to reach the top hinge. Another worker then fetched a scissor lift so that they could access the top part of the door.
Mr Thompson was walking down the steps when a colleague moved the wheels of the scissor lift, which knocked over a shelf. This caused a domino effect as it hit a piece of timber, which collapsed and fell on to Mr Thompson, knocking him to the floor. He fell three metres and fractured his right leg in four places. He was off work for 10 months and he can no longer stand for long periods. He is also likely to have a limp for the rest of his life.
The HSE’s investigation found that the work had not been planned and the company failed to monitor the work. It also learned that the worker who operated the scissor lift had not been trained how to move the vehicle. HSE inspector Dave Bibby told SHP that the incident could have been avoided if the workers had carried out a risk assessment and planned the work. This would have highlighted the need for the clutter to be removed from the site, and that the steps they were using were not tall enough to reach the top hinges.
Inspector Bibby said: “This case should highlight the importance of effective health and safety management. In their haste to get the factory closed down, Green Marine Limited failed to consider the risks apparent from this project and failed to ensure that work could and was being done safely.
“The consequence is that a time-served, loyal employee has been injured to the extent that it will affect him for the rest of his life, all because the company failed to put in place the basic building blocks for managing health and safety risks.”
Green Marine appeared in court on 26 January and pleaded guilty to breaching reg.3(1) and reg.5(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. It was fined £26,666 and ordered to pay costs of £6163.
In mitigation, the company said it had no previous convictions and had an excellent safety record. It accepted responsibility for the incident and said it had been an oversight in its procedures.
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