September 2011 - Failure to address welfare nearly causes fatality
We all know there is a need to provide certain minimum welfare facilities for employees such as drinkable water and rest areas for eating and drinking. However, this is not normally an issue which is top of the priority list.
Failing to provide adequate welfare facilities can have consequences. In a recent case, due to the poor conditions of the toilet provided, workers at a recycling centre in Ayr had taken to using discrete areas of the yard.
This led to one employee, Mr Graham, being stood between two skips. He suffered life-changing injuries when a shovel loader vehicle moved one of the skips, crushing him.
Lowmac Alloys Ltd were fined £80,000 for failing to show basic consideration for the welfare of their employees by providing a toilet that was fit to use and failing to carry out a proper risk assessment and take measures to separate employees from the heavy vehicles which operated on site.
For more information or if you have any questions surrounding the information in this article please contact Crown House on 01777 861 861 or e-mail Jacky Millard
Motor Trade