Solar panel company Blue Sun Energy Limited was sentenced today for safety breaches after a self-employed labourer fell through a rooflight.

Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard that on 13 December 2018, the 34-year-old, was working on behalf of and under the control of Blue Sun Energy Ltd when he fell approximately 3.5 metres through an unmarked and unguarded fragile surface (rooflight) into the shed below.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the worker was undertaking snagging work relating to the installation of solar panels on the roof of a cowshed at Home Farm Gargrave, Skipton. He stepped onto one of the roof lights and fell through it. He suffered a traumatic brain injury, fractured shoulder and severe bruising. He has yet to return to work.

Blue Sun Energy Limited of Avenue Road, Queniborough, Leicester pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company has been fined £38,019 and ordered to pay £1,071 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Ben Caines said: “Falls from height often result in life-changing or fatal injuries. In most cases, these incidents are needless and could be prevented by properly planning the work to ensure that effective preventative and protective measures are in place such as edge protection or coverings built to the correct standard.

“This incident could have easily been prevented if the company had installed adequate edge protection or covered the opening to prevent falls.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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EPS Materials Recovery Limited has been fined after a worker suffered injuries to his face and head when he was struck by a ball of compressed metal weighing approximately half a tonne. The metal was being used as a brush attached to the grab of a 360 degree excavator machine.

Swansea Magistrates’ Court heard how on 8 May 2019, the employee was working in the vicinity of the grab machine. The driver swung the arm to the location of the employee and dropped the brush, in doing this the brush fell onto the worker striking him on the back and causing him to hit the floor with force. He suffered a fractured skull, a fractured eye-socket and fractured cheek bone.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company failed to adequately segregate pedestrians and operating vehicles. Site induction procedures and training for new starters was inadequate. There wasn’t any direct supervision for new starters to prevent access to the dangerous parts of machinery or to stop dangerous parts before access was gained.

EPS Materials Recovery Limited of Griagola Wharf, King’s Dock, Swansea, was found guilty of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and were fined £300,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,059.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Wayne Williams, said: “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.

“There is industry-produced guidance for this type of activity, which demonstrates how short the company fell of the required standard. If a suitable safe system of work had been in place prior to the incident, the life changing injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented.”

The industry guidance for Hand sorting of Recyclables (Totting) with Vehicle Assistance can be found here: https://wishforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/WASTE-18-.pdf.

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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A&D Logistics Limited, a national logistics haulier, has been fined after a worker suffered flash burn injuries when there was an explosion as he opened the door of a container.

Paisley Sheriff Court heard how, on 7 January 2019, a team leader was requested by a member of the management team to dry out condensation from the office accommodation container. The custom and practice within the yard was to use a propane fuelled open-flame gas torch attached to a 47Kg LPG cylinder which was left burning within the container.

The team leader did this work and returned four hours later to check on progress of the container. The door appeared closed further than when he had left it. He opened the door by putting his hand in the gap between the doors and pulling. There was an explosion and he was thrown by force against a steel workshop container. Whilst on the ground he saw his arms burning, saw they were on fire, and felt the same of his face and hair.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company allowed the gas torch and propane cylinder to be left unattended with the torch lit whilst the team leader attended other work. The container did not contain sufficient oxygen to support safe combustion because of inadequate ventilation. Yard personnel had no ‘hot work’ training. The workwear worn by the team leader was not suitable for ‘hot work’ activities. Formal training and instruction for drying out wet containers with a propane gas torch was absent.

A&D Logistics Limited, Pegausus Avenue, Linwood, Paisley pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at work etc Act 1974 and was fined £48,000.

Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector Tom Allan said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out control measures and safe working practices.

“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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A scaffolding company has been fined for safety failings after scaffolding collapsed on to a street in Maidenhead while it was being dismantled.

High Wycombe Magistrates Court heard how the collapse could have resulted in serious injury or loss of life.

An investigation was carried out by the Health and Safety Executive following the incident that occurred on the 30 April 2018. It was found that the underlying cause of the scaffold collapse was a lack of training and adequate instruction.

The worker carrying out the dismantling of the scaffold and removal of the scaffold ties was not adequately trained. Subsequent high winds acting upon the monoflex sheeting on the day of the collapse caused then caused scaffold to act as a “giant sail” and subsequently toppled over into the street.

Formula Scaffolding (London) Limited of Church Lane, Chessington was found guilty in their absence to breaching section 3(1) of Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and have been fined £160 000.00 and ordered to pay costs of £11 533.36

After the hearing, HSE Inspector John Caboche commented: “This was a very serious incident and it is fortunate nobody was injured as a result of it.

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

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We seek to prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk
4. For more information on scaffold safety go to: https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/scaffoldinginfo.htm

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Construction company, Cheshire Oak Structures Limited, has been fined after a young employee suffered injuries when assisting in moving a load of timber with a telehandler during a garage construction project at North Crofts Road, Nantwich, Cheshire.

Crewe Magistrates’ Court heard how on, 16 August 2018, Mr Jordan Beck was one of two operatives assisting with the transportation of roof rafters along a narrow road using a telehandler, which was being operated by the company director. The worker was helping to guide the load on the telehandler when he was struck by it, which ran over his lower leg, resulting in serious injuries to his foot and ankle.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Cheshire Oak Structures Limited failed to properly plan the work and therefore failed to ensure that suitable measures were in place to protect workers from risks when using a telehandler.

Cheshire Oak Structures Limited of Darland House, 44 Winnington Hill, Northwich, Cheshire pleaded guilty breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,497.80.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Adewole Aderibigbe said: “This injury was easily preventable. The risks associated with the task should have been identified and suitable control measures implemented to minimise those risks.

“It is vital that employers properly plan their work activities to ensure that their employees are adequately protected whilst at work.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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