Company pays out for work accident

A work injury suffered by an employee has resulted in a glazing company in South Yorkshire being fined.

Premier Security Glazing Ltd, of Marriot Road, Swinton admitted to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974, as it had not ensured its employers were safe. The firm was instructed to pay costs of £2,644.90 and fined £2,500 at York Magistrates Court.

In June 2009 one of the firm's employees, Philip Pears, had a work accident that left him with bruising on his back and a fractured his wrist. The 20-year-old was replacing fascias on a house in York when he fell onto a pavement from an unsecured board 3.5 metres above.

"Had the company followed widely-available guidance from HSE [the Health and Safety Executive], the manufacturer's instructions, or the findings of the company's own safety audit then this incident could have been easily prevented," HSE inspector Sarah Lee said.

In another incident late last year, Kirklees Council had to pay out an injury at work claim of over £2,000 after Hayley Kaye was hurt in a heavy lifting accident, the Huddersfield Examiner reported.

Published by Phil Hammond