Employers are being warned by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to ensure they assess the risks of falling from height in the workplace and provide safe systems of work.

This follows HSE’s prosecution of Veolia Environmental Services Birmingham Ltd (VESB), of James Road, Tyseley, Birmingham and its contractor Hansen Transmissions Ltd (HTL), of Nile Street, Huddersfield.

On 5 July 2007, an employee of HTL was working to replace a gearbox within a condenser unit at VESB’s premises when he fell more than 10 metres. Fortunately he landed on a pallet of bundled narrow bore copper pipes which broke his fall by absorbing much of the impact. However, he suffered serious injuries including broken ribs, a punctured lung and a hernia.

HTL was fined a total of £70,000 and ordered to pay £22,000 costs by Birmingham Crown Court today (3 July) after the company pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

VESB was fined a total of £100,000 and ordered to pay £22,000 costs at the same hearing after pleading guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

HSE investigating inspector Paul Smith said: “This incident resulted in serious injuries which could so easily have been fatal. The man involved is lucky to be alive.

Source: HSE