Electrical firm fined £120,000 for health and safety breaches over worker injury
A company from East Sussex has been fined more than £120,000 after it was found to have breached health and safety regulations, resulting in a worker falling and sustaining serious injuries.
The worker, who is not named in any reports of the incident, was working for Skanska Rashleigh Weatherfoil on a scissor lift when he fell. The electrical firm had been subcontracted to design and construct electrical and mechanical systems in new structures within Manor Royal Industrial Park, which is in Crawley.
In the accident which occurred back in 2007, the worker was knocked eight metres to the ground after overhead trays collapsed and unbalanced him off the platform. He was left paralysed from the waist down as a result of the accident.
Lewes Crown Court has now rules that the company did not take all proper measures to ensure that the lift and the overhead trays were securely installed. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector Denis Bodger said:
“This tragic incident would have been avoided if the company had ensured all parts of the cable tray system had been properly designed and installed, including how it was attached to the building.”
Skanska Rashleigh Weatherfoil was fined £120,000 and ordered to pay court costs of £81,927. This costly incident may have been avoided if more advanced health and safety training suiting the specific nature of the work had been undertaken.