26/08/2010 - Worker's ladder fall leads to fine
A firm has been fined £6,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,188 over a worker's fall from a ladder, in which he broke his shoulder.
Richard Webster was covering boxes with plastic sheeting up a ladder at the Spalding onion packing firm, Moulton Bulb Company Ltd.
He fell around three metres to the ground last September at the Glebe Farm site at Roman Bank.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found Mr Webster of Whaplode, near Spalding, fell from the ladder as he was wrapping a five-and-a-half-metre stack of boxes in polythene.
The risky procedure led to Mr Webster being off work for a month with a broken shoulder and the company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
Prosecuting, HSE Inspector Jo Anderson said: "Falls from height are the biggest cause of workplace deaths and it's crucial employers make sure work is properly planned, appropriately supervised and sufficient measures are put in place to protect staff from these risks.
"As a result of this the company has changed its procedures to eliminate the need to work at height by applying polythene sheeting at floor level and then lifting the boxes up.
"I'm satisfied the company has learned from this incident and would encourage employers in a similar line of business to consider doing the same, if they don't already."
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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