Preston City Council Environmental Health
Officers recently held an investigation into an employee's accident at work,
which saw Transcontinental Group Preston fined in a hearing in Preston
Magistrates' Court on November 15th.
Agency worker Craig Gregory, who had been
engaged by Workforce Recruitment, was working at the firm's Olivers Place
premises in Fulwood on May 4th 2011. On the first day at work at the
premises, while unloading a shipping container, Mr Gregory fell 1.44m from the
unguarded ramp and landed on a concrete floor. Personal injury solicitors Preston are concerned that some employers have not fitted guard rails on
elevated working platforms - something the council's Environmental Health
Officers noticed Transcontinental had failed to do.
Working practices at the site were found to
be well below those legally required, which saw the company issued with an
improvement notice. A new health and safety consultant has since been hired to
help the firm deal with this issue and arrangements were made to fit guard
rails on the ramp.
Transcontinental said they regretted the
incident and said they had previously used a consultant to help them complete
risk assessments. After admitting four breaches of health and safety
regulations, the firm was fined £18,750 with a £15 victim surcharge and costs
of £6,500. Mr Gregory may also be able to make a claim with no win no fee
solicitors Preston.
It took around ten months for the victim to
recover from this workplace injury. The fall and its potentially life-changing
or fatal consequences and preventing the injury would not have required any
specialist knowledge.
Councillor John Swindells, cabinet member
for planning and regulation, said that the council will act to protect members
of staff and anyone else who may be affected when companies fail to adhere to
health and safety legislation.
Mr Gregory has since returned to work after
this accident, but the injuries he sustained were very serious, including
broken ribs, head injuries and a broken collarbone. Personal injury solicitors Preston wish him the best for the future and hope that he has made a full
recovery.
