Two firms fined over worker falling from telehandler
Two companies from Carmarthenshire and West Midlands have been fined after a worker was killed when he fell from a telehandler.
Swansea Crown Court was told how a 50-year-old self-employed contractor working for Advance Door Engineering Ltd, who had been contracted by Shufflebottom Limited to fabricate and install roller shutter doors on an extension to a slipway building at Mustang Marine in Pembroke Dock.
The contractor was working at height with another co-worker on a telehandler when it met fencing. When the telehandler was freed from the obstruction it caused the basket to jerk, thus resulting in the two workers being thrown from the basket. The contractor was not clipped into the basket and fell to the ground and obtain fatal injuries.
An investigation which was completed by HSE (Health and Safety Executive) found that the companies had not properly thought through the risks that may occur with the task.
Shufflebottom Limited of Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire pleaded guilty, to breaches of Regulation 3(1)(b) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and were fined £125,000 and ordered to pay costs of £43,000.
Advance Door Engineering Limited of Malthouse Road, Tipton, West Midlands pleaded guilty, to breaches of Regulation 3(1)(b) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and were fined £1 due to insolvency.
