What happened?
In recent court proceedings, a relocation and refurbishment company based in London has been fined after a worker fell from a height almost 3 metres and was seriously injured.
Luton Crown Court heard that on 5 September 2016 an engineer fell almost three metres whilst on a roof, testing a sprinkler system for leaks. The ladder he was using had slipped away from him and he fell into the gap between the internal roof and the external wall
Injury
As a result of the fall, the worker suffered severe blood loss – around half of his bloodstream, requiring a blood transfusion as well as 14 stitches to his head. He also suffered soft tissue damage and a fractured vertebrae.
What should have prevented it?
The investigation by the HSE found that reasonably practicable measures had not been taken to prevent a fall for both the injured engineer and other contractors. The principal contractor, Modus Workspace Ltd was found to have failed to discharge its duty to ensure those not in their employment were not exposed to risks, in particular in relation to the risk of falling from height.
Costs
After a five-week trial, the court found Modus Workspace of Greencoat Place, London guilty of breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. They were ordered to pay a fine of £1.2 million plus £68,116.18 in costs.
Could CRAMS help?
CRAMS makes it simple to create and distribute safety documents to your whole workforce. CRAMS also includes a vast library of more than 60 accredited e-Learning courses, including Working at height along with many other topics. You can create accounts for employees and contractors to ensure they have access to all their required documents and training prior to completing any work. Team managers or site supervisors can be given admin access to check who has acknowledged their documents and chase those who have work outstanding. With CRAMS you can create clear procedures and ensure everyone know exactly how to keep themselves and those around them safe.
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