MD Fined After Apprentice Killed In Workplace Accident
Jan 1, 2010
An apprentice at a joinery workshop died from serious head injuries after a stack of MDF boards fell on him.
The 17 year old was working as an apprentice at a joinery firm when the accident took place. Prior to the accident he was attempting to remove MDF boards, which had been stacked on top of a bench and held in place by a bracket. He had successfully removed one of the boards when the remaining nine boards toppled and struck him on the head.
He was rushed to hospital where he later died as a result of serious head injuries.
There were no witnesses to the accident but it is believed that the boards fell because the bracket was not strong enough to support their weight.
The firm’s Managing Director appeared in Crown Court and pleaded guilty to breaching reg.4(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998. By virtue of this plea, he also pleaded guilty to s37(1) of the HSWA 1974. He was fined £7500 and ordered to pay costs of £2500, with no further action taken against his company.
The Managing Director neglected to provide safe arrangements for the storage of sheets of MDF boards. The bracket, which had been produced to his own design, posed inherent risk and its use as part of the storage system was ill-conceived.
This case highlights the need for Managing Directors to ensure the safety of equipment and staff, as they can and will be held personally responsible for any shortfalls.
