Near miss highlights safety compliance importance
February 10th 08:30 Health and Safety
A serious injury or death was "narrowly avoided" after a load was dropped from height at a paper manufacturing plant in Sheffield, magistrates have been told.
The incident saw 1.8 tonnes of paper reels dropped from a height of 1.2 metres, just missing an employee as it hit the ground.
Following prosecution from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Rossendale Group of Ellesmere Port in the Wirall, which supplied the crane, was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay a further £10,000 in costs for breaching sections of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act.
HSE inspector Alison Crank said: "It was extremely fortunate that no one was injured or even killed in this incident.
"Had the load fallen moments earlier it would have fallen into the path of the crane operator. Companies that supply lifting equipment must be aware that they will be held to account if the equipment is not well designed or manufactured." 
