08/07/2010 - Plastics firm fined over death
An Italian-owned plastics firm has been fined £140,000 after a cleaner in the UK was crushed by two pallets weighing nearly 3,000kg.
Abel Lagos was sweeping the yard at the factory on the Stakehill Industrial Estate in Middleton, Greater Manchester, when two 1,375kg pallets fell on top of him.
The 38-year-old cleaner died at the scene despite attempts to revive him.
The death followed reports of 15 near misses when pallets had toppled over, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
Mark Savill, prosecuting for the Health and Safety Executive, said the pallets were being stacked on top of each other because of a lack of space in the goods yard.
At the time of the accident, on July 15, 2005, the firm had a £16.5 million turnover, employing 75 staff and had undergone rapid expansion but had virtually no health and safety practices in operation, the court heard.
And there was a culture of fear amongst staff to "get on with it" otherwise they would lose their job.
The Italian owned company was at the time being run by Luca Sabbatini as the managing director, who knew the family who owned the company.
Health and Safety consultants were brought in, but when handed paperwork from them, Mr Sabbatini told a colleague "we are not paying that!" and threw the documents in the bin.
TS (UK) Ltd was prosecuted by the HSE for failing to ensure the safety of its employees, and not having a worker trained in First Aid on duty.
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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