Woodlands Homecare Ltd was sentenced last week for safety breaches after a worker was killed. Leeds Magistrates Court heard how on the 23 July 2012, the worker was pushing a trolley when he was struck by a side loader fork lift truck (FLT) that had been unloading a delivery wagon at the time of the incident. Following investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), it was found that as the FLT was unloading the worker passed a ventilation system cyclone and was then struck by the reversing FLT.
Woodlands Homecare Ltd of Railway House, Calverley Lane, Rodley, Leeds pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. This confirms it is the duty of every employer to ensure, as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees. The guilty plea resulted in the company being fined £233,334.00 with £21,620 costs.
Following the hearing, HSE inspector Rachel Brittain commented: "This was a tragic and wholly avoidable incident, caused by the failure of the company to implement the findings of their own transport plan." HSE noted that vehicles at work continue to be a major cause of fatal and minor injuries. Every year there are over 5000 incidents involving transport in the workplace, with approximately 50 of those result in people being killed.
