News Article

Lack of planning led to fall from height fatality on farm


Posted by | Date Posted 09.08.2007 | Time Posted 10:38:42 | Views: 541

Two companies have been ordered to pay more than £53,000 in fines and costs following the death of a worker who fell eight metres on a farm in west Wales.

In June 2004, Alan Ellison – an employee of Enidvale Ltd, trading as BK Grain Handling – was installing a grain-drying system with a colleague at the premises of Mansel Raymond – trading as Raymond Brothers. When he went to have a look at the fragile roof that needed to be dismantled in order to install the grain dryer, it gave way, and he fell to the concrete floor below.

The subsequent HSE investigation found inadequacies in the communication and planning of the work that led the to incident. Enidvale Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching s3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 – relating to the suitable and sufficient assessment of risks to the health and safety of employees – and s7(1), relating to the requirement of employers to appoint competent persons.

On 28 June at Swansea Crown Court, Enidvale was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay partial costs, in excess of £8000.

Having pleaded not guilty, Raymond Bros was found guilty of breaching s2(1) of the HSWA – relating to the safety, health and welfare of employees working at height. The firm was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £15,000 of the costs. =

HSE inspector Wayne Williams said: "Working at height is extremely dangerous, as this case has so tragically demonstrated, and it is imperative that employers carry out proper risk assessments, and ensure their staff are adequately trained to work at height."

"Unfortunately, this remains something that too many employers fail to take into consideration, and I hope the fines in this case will serve as a warning to employers to put proper systems and safeguards in place to prevent death or injury to their workers."


Published in sections: Health and Safety ::

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