Work accident compensation news
13/07/2010

Firm fined for fatal pallet collapse

An accident at work which caused the death of a Portuguese employee has been the subject of an HSE prosecution at Manchester Crown Court.

The work accident occurred in July 2005 when a wooden pallet containing 55 bags of polypropylene collapsed.

The employee, a cleaner, was found trapped underneath the bags. He died at the accident scene from severe crush injuries.

The plastics manufacturing firm pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Regulation 3(2) of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981.

John McGrellis, one of HSE's Principal Inspectors for Greater Manchester, said, "[This employee] died because [the company] didn't treat the health and safety of its workers as a priority. There were labels on the polypropylene bags that made it clear how they should be stored safely but this advice was ignored.

 "The company didn't provide guidance about how to stack the pallets, and no one trained in First Aid was on duty to help try to resuscitate [the work accident victim] when the pallet fell on him."

The company was fined £140,000 and ordered to pay £10,588 in costs.

The successful prosecution of the firm may now enable the family of the accident at work victim to make a claim through the civil courts for 100% compensation.