Steel Stockholder fined for employee injury
A Steel Stockholder in Lye has been ordered to pay £27,000, after one of its employees sustained a serious foot injury at work.
Dudley Environmental Health brought forward a prosecution against M Brittain (York) Limited after the injury occurred in February 2021.
The injured party had been working alone in the warehouse, lifting packs of steel sheet using a 3-tonne overhead crane and grab attachments to load them onto a lorry, when they were struck by a pack of steel sheets.
The employee suffered a serious injury to their left foot and was taken to hospital, where they received treatment.
M Brittain (York) Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at Dudley Magistrates Court this week. It was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay costs of £18,842.11 plus a victim surcharge of £190.
For the task of handling and moving of packs of steel sheet using an overhead crane and grab attachments, this company was found to have failed to provide and maintain a system of work that was safe and without risks to health. It also failed to provide their employees with adequate information, instruction, training and supervision.
Councillor James Clinton, cabinet member responsible for trading standards, said:
“I am pleased at the outcome of this case, which serves as a reminder to businesses that we will not fail to act against those who are not meeting their responsibilities.
“The Health and Safety at Work Act requires employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees and I would like to thank our Environmental Health team for their work on this case.”