Firm Ordered to Pay more than £42,000 After Worker Injured

A Lincolnshire based company has been ordered to pay £42,631 after a worker was seriously injured after he was struck by a trailer.

Peter Borley of Limagrain UK Ltd endured serious back and chest injuries at the firm's Woolpit Business Park site after he was struck by a trailer on 27th March 2008.

The company admitted to failing to ensure the health and safety of an employee at Ipswich Crown Court on Monday 24th August and were fined £35,000 plus ordered to pay costs of £7,631. The incident occurred after a one-tonne trailer toppled over as it was being lifted onto a chasis.

Mr Borley suffered injuries to his ribs, vertebrae and sternum. Ruth Barber who was prosecuting for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said that workers had propped a refurbished trailer on its side, before trying to lift it on the its chassis using a forklift truck.

Even though Mr Borley was not involved in the move, he was struck by the trailer when it toppled over despite efforts to hold it back by the manager.

Results of an investigation by the HSE found a risk assessment had not been carried out, staff had not been trained for the task and that the straps used to lift the trailer were marked stating 'not for lifting'.

The company said in mitigation that they regretted the accident and had fully cooperated with the HSE's investigation and that in the past year they had spent £140,000 on health and safety. The company also described the accident as an 'isolated lapse' and had no previous convictions.
Since the incident, the company has introduced a policy of wearing high-visibility vests and has employed health and safety consultants to advise staff.

A spokesman for the HSE said after the hearing: "Cases like this highlight the need for all employers to ensure a proper and full risk assessment is in place.

"It is imperative work is carried out safely, and the HSE will not hesitate to take action against those who are in breach of the law and put people's safety at risk."

Safety Gear Continues to Suffer from Image Problems

A specialist survey commissioned by a diversified technology company and PPE manufacturer 3M has revealed that just 30% of health and safety managers think that essential Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is always worn on construction sites. Thirty six per cent of managers on Olympic sites believe that this is because work safety gear is not macho enough.
Building site workers as well as managers were interviewed by the researchers to find out how manufacturers could improve the products. A female structural and civil engineering worker wanted to see "smaller sizes of shoes and safety boots for ladies".

The report illustrates the battles that health and safety managers have to face in the construction industry in order to get their workers to wear protective clothing and equipment, which could put simply, save their lives.

The marketing manager for 3M Occupational Health and Environmental Safety Vicky Randles, said "One of the issues the survey has thrown up is the negative general perception of 'elf and safety'. Many managers feel that the image overall needs be improved, not just the clothing. Forty-eight percent in companies of 250 workers and over cited this as the main item that could be addressed in the war to get 100 percent commitment."

Training Critical in Correct Selection and Use of PPE

When it comes to selecting and using personal protective equipment (PPE), knowing which level to use for which hazard is the main concern for health and safety managers.

This is according to independent researchers commissioned by diversified technology company 3M, who spoke to more than 100 health and safety managers and some 200 workers in the construction industry to gauge their views on PPE and determine the reasons why it may not be worn.

Nearly one in four of the managers cited matching the protection level of the equipment to the hazards as a difficulty - particularly in construction, where unexpected and unusual situations can crop up at any time owing to the dynamic nature of most sites.

Almost all of them (87 per cent) said training is the best method to ensure PPE is worn, but the research found that just over half of the workers questioned (57 per cent) receive regular training in this regard, and nearly one in three said they "use what they think is best".

Commenting on the findings, Vikki Randles - market development manager for 3M's occupational health and environmental safety division - said: "The survey's results confirm that training of the workforce is critical if they are to understand why and how they need to wear PPE. The fact there are so many workers who are not getting basic information and training is worrying and needs to be solved first".

She elaborated: "The strength of this response could suggest that managers are in larger organisations are not getting the support that they want from higher levels in order to ensure that the wearing of PPE is enforced. A shift is needed to move away from the possible idea that the health and safety managers are just bureaucratic clipboard carriers, if they are to be taken seriously in the workplace. Without this, the safety message and training is not likely to get through." The full report can be downloaded from www.3M.co.uk/ppereport.