CONSTRUCTION COMPANY FINED £3,000 FOR INJURING WORKMEN

S.J. Anderson and Sons Ltd was fined £3,000 at Lisburn Magistrates Court on 17th July 2012 after pleading guilty to two breaches of health and safety regulations. The company were also ordered to pay prosecution costs. The case arose from a Health and Safety Executive (NI) investigation into an incident on a construction site near Lisburn on 21st February 2011.

During work on the construction site, a telescopic materials handler lift truck was being used to raise workers in a platform to areas that they needed to access and work at.  The platform had been raised approximately 5.5metres when the platform was dislodged from the forks.  The two workers were ejected from the platform as it toppled and fell to the ground.  Both workers received numerous injuries as a result of their falls.

The HSENI investigation revealed that the platform was not attached to the lifting forks at any time during the works, and that the platform was resting on the forks of the lift truck.  The investigation also revealed that the driver of the lift truck had not received appropriate training or instruction in its safe operation.

Mrs Anne Cassidy, an inspector with HSENI’s Major Investigation Team said,

“All companies must control hazards within the workplace. Where any work at height is planned, it is essential that proper measures are in place to allow the workers to access that area safely, and that suitable measures remain in place to prevent them falling while working.  All operators of lift trucks must be given appropriate instruction and training. Failure to take measures could result in workers falling to their death.”

Article from HSENI website