Workers' falls land building company in court
Managing director Stuart Caplin, his son and self-employed builder Jason Caplin and a self-employed joiner, Robert Coleman, arrived on site and decided to take some photographs of the partially completed project to record progress.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that in order to get a high level shot an enclosed work platform was placed on the forks of a telehandler and raised with Jason Caplin and Robert Coleman inside. However, it was not secured to the forks and as the telehandler extended the platform slid off sending the two workers crashing to the ground.
Both men were airlifted to hospital. Jason Caplin, 32, of Great Glen was diagnosed with a fractured heel and spine compression requiring pins. He was off work for three months.
Robert Coleman, 52, of Beaumont Leys, Leicester, suffered a broken collarbone, collapsed lung, fractured pelvis, lacerated spleen and three broken ribs and has not yet been able to return to work.
Caplin Homes Ltd, of Stretton Road, Great Glen, Leicestershire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 5(1) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay costs of £460.
Speaking after the hearing HSE Inspector Tony Mitchell said:
"This was an ill-conceived and totally preventable incident that resulted in two people suffering significant injuries which could easily have been fatal.
"Work platforms on telehandlers are not suitable for construction work unless special control systems are in place. More importantly they must be securely attached."
No comments:
Post a Comment