Firm Heavily Fined After Ladder Fall

A chemical firm has been handed a hefty fine after a worker suffered a nasty injury following a fall off a ladder.

The incident occurred at the company’s site in Workington when the employee was attempting to inspect a steam leak at height.

While scaling a ladder to do so, the ladder failed, resulting in the worker falling two metres to the ground below, incurring a serious elbow injury in the process.

Further Investigation

The incident resulted in the firm, Vertellus Specialties UK Ltd, being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive.

Following their inquiry, the HSE soon concluded that the company had failed to ensure that the job was adequately planned and managed.

Meanwhile, the HSE also surmised that Vertellus had failed to inspect the equipment and ensure it was fit for use.

Consequences

While the incident took place back in June 2018, the verdict was only reached this past week.

The hearing saw company representatives plead guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The results left Vertellus Specialties UK Ltd with a lofty fine of £120k with over £5k in costs.

Ladder Safety Equipment

Such an incident could have been avoided if the appropriate cautionary steps had been taken in advance.

At SLG, we have a variety of ladder safety equipment to help prevent such instances from occurring and minimise the risks of injury, ranging from removable wall anchors to fall protection kits.

Meanwhile, we also offer permanent structural solutions in the form of our Rung Mounted Permanent Vertical Fall Arrest System, compatible with a demountable mobile anchorage device for additional safety and enhanced freedom of movement.

With so many options available in terms of ladder safety equipment, there’s really no excuse for placing workers at risk. Keep your employees safe when working at height and protect your business at the same time with ladder safety equipment from SLG.

For more information on precautions for working at height or ladder safety equipment, why not drop us a line today? Call now on 0117 9381 600 or get in touch online by clicking the link below.

Get in Touch