Gloucester company fined over fall

Mekufa (UK) Ltd., were fined after a fall from height of one of their employees.
The circumstances of the accident were:

• The employee, Roger Bouskill was dismantling a large dis-used oven, the flue of which extended into the ceiling space.
• Sections of the flue were being removed using a cage fitted to a forklift truck.
• Mr Bouskill left the cage to get onto the roof of the oven.
• As the stack was being moved, it toppled and knocked him to the ground 2.5m below
• There was no documented plan of how to do the work
• There was no risk assessment.
• There was no supervision for this or any other removal work
• The forklift truck driver was not trained to do so.

Mekufa were prosecuted on 22nd April 2013 under the Work at Height Regs. and fined £5,569 (inc. costs) .

The HSE inspector stated: "Mr Bouskill sustained a serious injury and could have died as a result of the fall. The dangers of working at height are well known, yet incidents of this kind occur all too often. The fall could have easily been prevented if Mekufa (UK) Ltd had assessed the risks and put simple measures in place to minimise them. An appropriate plan would have also ensured that those undertaking the work were appropriately supervised and competent. This prosecution should serve as a reminder to all companies who expect their employees to work at height of their legal duties to manage safety and provide the protection required to safeguard them from falls."

Source: HSE