Health and safety of workers at a Holmfirth business park was treated in a “haphazard” way, officials have said.
Bridge Mills Ltd, owners of an old mill complex off Huddersfield Road, has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after a 68-year-old male worker fell from a ladder and broke his ankle in 2011.
Following the hearing at Kirklees Magistrates Court, the HSE said the man was lucky not to be more seriously injured or killed.
The accident happened after the maintenance man, who does not wish to be named, was asked by Bridge Mills Ltd to remove several heat exchange units from the roof space in a disused machine shop.
The man was working from the ladder, being held by a cleaner, at various heights of around four and five metres (between 12 and 15 feet) when the ladder was knocked from the cleaner’s hands.
The man realised he was falling and jumped clear, rolling over to protect himself as best he could.
HSE Inspector, Jackie Ferguson, said: “The worker was fortunate not to have suffered a far more serious injury – it doesn’t take a fall from a great height to inflict a life-changing injury or even death.
“There were several safe methods open to Bridge Mills Ltd for the removal of the heat exchange units, including working from an integrated working platform.
“Instead, the health and safety of workers was treated in a vague and haphazard manner.
“Falls from height remain the biggest cause of workplace deaths and one of the main causes of injury.
“Working at height without the right equipment, training or systems is wholly unacceptable and extremely dangerous, and HSE will not hesitate to prosecute when companies put their workers lives at such risk.”
Magistrates were told the HSE had found a number of failings at the company. There was no clear responsibility for health and safety in the company.
Work at height was not planned or organised, so there was no safe system of work in place.
The firm had not assessed the risks or provided the worker with work-at-height training.
The company was fined £7,000 and ordered to pay £1,355 court costs after admitting breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Director of Bridge Mills Ltd, Robert Broadbent, said: “The company sincerely regrets the injuries suffered to the worker as a result of the accident on November, 22, 2011.
“We have fully co-operated with the Health and Safety Executive’s investigation and have undertaken a thorough review of all health and safety procedures throughout the business.
“The company continues to ensure that the health and safety of all those who come into contact with its business is of the utmost priority.
“We are pleased this matter has been concluded and we can focus on preventing this type of accident happening again.”
