A builders’ merchants has been fined £40,000 after an employee suffered serious injuries at its Pontllanfraith premises.
Hughes Forrest admitted five health and safety related charges after one of its workers was injured when getting goods from racking. The accident happened in June last year and prompted an investigation by Caerphilly County Borough Council.
Appearing at Newport Magistrates’ Court last month, the company admitted failure to provide new employees with Induction Training or with job specific health and safety training under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974; failure to provide employees operating fork lift trucks with fork lift truck training and relevant refresher training under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998; and failure to make a suitable assessment of the risks posed from loading/unloading racking under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
The remaining charges were: Failure to organise the external yard area in such a way that pedestrians and vehicles can circulate in a safe manner under the Workplace Regulations 1992; and failure to thoroughly examine the fork lift trucks used in association with the working platform on a six monthly basis under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998
In addition to the fine, the company was also ordered to pay court costs of £3,370.44 and a victim surcharge of £170.
Cllr Eluned Stenner, cabinet member for the environment, said: “We take all reports of accidents reported to the council very seriously and investigate them thoroughly. This was a serious incident involving a person becoming injured as a result of a failure to implement policies and procedures and I am pleased that the court has reflected this in the fine.”