Industry news
Two companies in court over break
Posted Tue, 14 Feb 2012
A mechanical fitter suffered a broken foot when a 13kg weight fell from overhead at a factory in North Yorkshire.
The man from Scunthorpe had been working on a 21-ton crane when the incident occurred on March 22, 2010 at the Drax Power Station.
Despite his reinforced safety footwear the man suffered a fractured right foot and the Health and Safety Executive investigation said the 13kg weight was not secure, as a single bolt attachment was not sufficient.
At Selby Magistrates' Court Drax Power Ltd, which has 750 employees working within the power station, was fined £13,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,151 after it pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 5(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 by failing to ensure the crane was in good working order.
The company which is also in charge of maintaining all the cranes and hoists at the factory and located on-site, Konecranes UK Ltd, was also charged with Section 3(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and handed the same fines.
Copyright Press Association 2012