Elland Steel Structures Ltd of Halifax have been fined £8,000 and ordered to pay £20,000 toward costs as a result of a serious accident at their factory in January 2011.
Bradford Crown court heard that Mark Priestley, 34, was working with a colleague to weld pin connections to a 23 metre long steel beam, which weighed 6.5 tonnes. Because of the work, the beam had to be rotated several times by using chain slings. However, as the chain was being raised, it caught the beam which then became imbalanced and toppled sideways onto Mr Priestley's back as he tried to get out of the way.
The weight of the beam crushed Mr Priestley's spine and torso, leaving him with permanent damage. It is unlikely that the married father of one will ever be able to work again.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that it was likely that one or both of the chain slings next to the beam had snagged as it was about to be lifted. The court was informed that the company did not assess the risks for lifting operations so they were not properly planned or supervised. In addition, the slings and the technique were unsuitable for the load.
HSE Inspector Geoff Fletcher said, "The incident could have been avoided had Elland Steel fulfilled its responsibilities to fully assess the risks involved with this heavy lifting, and then put measures in place to mitigate those risks."
He added, "Lifting operations need to be properly planned by a competent person and all staff need to be trained and adequately supervised. The lack of a robust system of work will inevitably mean that risk is not properly controlled and the consequences can be devastating."
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