Broken back could inspire use of facilities management health and safety process
August 5th 15:16 Health and Safety
A number of UK businesses could be encouraged to adopt facilities management health and safety process after an incident in Staffordshire left one man with a broken back.
Following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Klarius UK was fined £8,000 after a worker injured his back while carrying out a routine clearing operation on a machine used to make exhaust pipes.
After falling from scaffolding, Barry Derbyshire was left with one fractured vertebrae and one crushed vertebrae, leaving him immobilised for six weeks.
Newcastle-under-Lyme magistrates heard how the company had failed to put a guard rail in place as it felt it would block access to the machines.
HSE inspector Lynne Boulton said: "Barry Derbyshire did nothing wrong, but as a result of this fall he's been left with life-changing injuries. The company had a clear lack of appreciation of risk.
"If Klarius UK Ltd had used the right equipment and ensured there were guardrails on the scaffolding, it would never have happened.
The firm pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was also ordered to pay £1,892 in court costs.
