A worker at an onion-packaging factory suffered a broken shoulder after falling more than three metres from a ladder.
On 10 September 2009, Richard Webster was covering onion boxes with plastic sheeting at Moulton Bulb Company Ltd’s plant in Spalding, Lincolnshire. He climbed up one side of a stack of boxes and leaned over the edge to receive a ladder, as it was passed to him by his supervisor.
There was limited access to the back of the boxes from ground level, so Mr Webster walked across the tops of the stack and dropped the ladder behind the boxes. It is thought that the ladder’s feet were resting on the back wall of the storage shed, but as the ara was not lit well Mr Webster could not see the ground.
He started to climb down the ladder and was securing the polythene sheets from top to bottom of the stack, when the ladder slipped sideways and he fell to the ground. He was unable to return to work for a month owing to his injuries.
The company was issued an Improvement Notice on 3 November 2009, which required it to review its work-at-height procedures. HSE inspector Jo Anderson said: “Falls from height are the biggest cause of workplace deaths and it’s crucial employers make sure work is properly planned, appropriately supervised, and sufficient measures are put in place to protect staff from these risks.
“As a result of this, the company has changed its procedures to eliminate the need to work at height by applying polythene sheeting at floor level and then lifting the boxes up.
“I’m satisfied the company has learned from this incident and would encourage employers in a similar line of business to consider doing the same, if they don’t already.”
Moulton Bulb Company appeared at Spalding Magistrates’ Court on 18 August and pleaded guilty to breaching reg. 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. It was fined £6000 and ordered to pay costs of £2188.
In mitigation, the company said it had no previous convictions and entered an early guilty plea. It complied with the Improvement Notice and expressed remorse for the incident.
The Safety Conversation with SHP (previously the Safety and Health Podcast) aims to bring you the latest news, insights and legislation updates in the form of interviews, discussions and panel debates from leading figures within the profession.
Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts, subscribe and join the conversation today!
