Montracon fined £172,500 for safety breaches after worker falls from height

road-safety

Trailer manufacturer Montracon has been fined £172,500 for safety breaches after a worker suffered head injuries after falling from a stepladder.

Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard last week that the 57-year-old worker was cleaning the cant rail of a curtain side trailer that had just been manufactured.

Whilst using stepladders positioned on top of the trailer to reach the work the employee pulled the steps further down the trailer to clean the next section. As he climbed up the steps they started to wobble causing him to fall out of the trailer onto the floor, landing on his head.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that there was no ladder inspection regime in place and the equipment being used was not in good working order.

Doncaster-based pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The company was fined £172,500.00 and ordered to pay £12,202.69 in costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Anuja Mistry-Raval said: “Equipment used to access work at height should be routinely inspected and checked to make sure it is in good condition and safe to use.

“This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out a proper risk assessment, implementing appropriate control measures and adopting safe working practices

“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

Notes to Editors:

Moving vehicles still a major cause of death at work says HSE

Tiger Trailers launches ‘STOP LOOK BE SEEN’ programme during Road Safety Week

New warning over loading shovels after nine fatal accidents in four years

DVSA to revise load security guidance after fatal accident