Employee sentenced

Posted: Tuesday 28th, January 2020

Employee sentenced after apprentice injured in fall from unstable box

An employee has been fined after an apprentice sustained serious
injuries when he fell from a potato box lifted by a forklift truck.

Peterborough Magistratesā€™ Court heard how, on 30 July 2018, Mr
Francis Yardy used a forklift truck with an attached potato box to lift an
apprentice electrician to a height of four metres to carry out electrical
repairs at a potato storage warehouse near Ely. This was inherently
unstable and the apprentice fell to the floor. The apprentice was
admitted to hospital and sustained a punctured lung and broken ribs.


An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the
apprenticeā€™s employer had carried out a risk assessment and purchased
suitable equipment for work at height, but that this was not used by the
employee in charge of work at the site.

Mr Francis Yardy of Regent Avenue, March, Cambridgeshire pleaded
guilty to breaching Section 7of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act
1974 and has been fined Ā£2,000 and ordered to pay costs of Ā£560.40.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Graeme Warden said:
"Unfortunately, forklift trucks are frequently used with potato boxes or
pallets attached to lift people to work at height. This incident serves as a
reminder of the potentially disastrous consequences.ā€¯

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