Elland firm fined £17,000 after man suffers serious injuries
May 30 2009 By Neil Atkinson
The firm pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Jackie Ferguson said: "This was a serious and potentially life-threatening incident. The driver has not fully recovered from his injuries.
"Such dangerous occurrences can be avoided. The risks associated with the loading and unloading of vehicles serving the print industry are well-known.
"We have issued specific advice stating that unloading of reels needs to be done with equipment like a clamp, boom or pole attachment on a lift truck, and in accordance with a safe system of work.
"Following this incident, an Improvement Notice was served requiring the devising of a safe system of work for unloading paper reels from delivery vehicles on these premises. As a result, the company has now made important changes to their procedures.
"They have redeveloped their yard area and paper reels are no longer handled manually, but unloaded mechanically from the sides of trailers with a clamp truck.
"This is a welcome outcome. However others in the industry would do well to review carefully their own systems of working so that in future no other worker is put at risk in such a way."
