Specialist contractor ******** Scaffolding has been fined after a scaffolder suffered serious injuries.
**** Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 22 February 2016 at a site in Chaddesden, a 24-year-old employee, *** ***** was injured during the loading of bins of scaffold fittings onto a lorry using a Hi-Ab lorry mounted crane.
The Hi-Ab arm knocked him from the bed of the lorry to the ground and he suffered significant injuries to his arms.
A HSE investigation found that ********** Scaffolding Limited failed to properly plan the lifting of scaffolding parts onto a lorry.
The investigation also found that they failed to provide clear instructions and supervision and failed to ensure that the lifting of scaffold parts was carried out in a safe manner.
********* Scaffolding Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 8(1) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. The Company was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £1,968.63 and a Victim Surcharge of £170.00
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector said:
“This was a very serious and wholly avoidable incident, caused by the failure of the company to plan and implement safe systems of work, for the loading of scaffolding parts on to the lorry.
“This incident could so easily have been avoided through the company properly planning the lifting of scaffolding parts onto the lorry, giving clear instructions for employees to follow, and having a competent person identified as Supervisor. This would have ensured the lift was carried out in a safe manner”.
