Unplanned work led to 10 metre fall

A partner in a farming company has been fined after a worker fell from a cherry picker at a farm in Driffield.

Hull and Holderness Magistrates’ Court was told how the employee suffered fractures to 18 ribs and both wrists as well as internal injuries when he fell approximately 10 metres from a cherry picker at Manor Farm, Barmston, Driffield in July 2016.

The employee was inspecting a silencer unit attached to the farm’s grain drying facility. Mr Martin Geoffrey Warkup was the only partner in the company with knowledge of this work, but failed to properly plan and supervise the activity.

Easily avoidable

Warkup, of Manor Farm, Barmston, Driffield, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £1,600 with £1,216.10 costs.

After the hearing, Health and Safety Executive inspector Darian Dundas commented: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by planning ahead and putting in place suitable control measures and safe working practices.

“Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers in the safe system of work.”

Approaches to managing the risks associated Musculoskeletal disorders

In this episode of the Safety & Health Podcast, we hear from Matt Birtles, Principal Ergonomics Consultant at HSE’s Science and Research Centre, about the different approaches to managing the risks associated with Musculoskeletal disorders.

Matt, an ergonomics and human factors expert, shares his thoughts on why MSDs are important, the various prevalent rates across the UK, what you can do within your own organisation and the Risk Management process surrounding MSD’s.

Listen now!