A manufacturing firm in Ipswich has been fined after two workers were struck by slabs of stone, with one of the men sustaining multiple bone fractures as a result.
Three slabs of quartz stone fell from a stillage onto the two workers whilst they worked at Bespoke Stone Ltd's workshop. The pair had been preparing to lift one of the slabs onto a saw bed when all three fell onto them on 17 June 2022.
After sustaining multiple bone fractures and soft tissue damage, one of the workers required a number of operations and has been unable to work for over two years. He sustained fractures to his right femur, hip, left tibia and foot and spent a total of 12 weeks in hospital.
The other worker sustained bruising to his body and required time off from work following the incident.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found Bespoke Stone Ltd's handling and storage of slabs was unsafe in that the material was not secure.
The restraint system provided did not fit around larger sizes of material. The company also failed to accurately report the injuries sustained and time taken off by the two workers under Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) SI 2013/1471.
HSE guidance states slabs should always remain restrained during loading and unloading operations, whether from vehicles or from storage when any person could be in the hazard zone into which a slab might fall from its racked position or fail during lifting.
Bespoke Stone Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, was fined £6,600 and ordered to pay £4,875.40 in costs.
HSE inspector Jessica Flint said: "Bespoke Stone Ltd failed to grasp the importance of safe handling and storage of stone materials in stone masonry, with employees regularly working within the hazard zone of slabs during operations within its workshop".
"The CCTV footage makes clear how serious this incident was, with one of the employees sustaining a number of horrific injuries which have affected his ability to return to work. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards".
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