A construction contractor has been fined £2,000 together with £1,002 in costs after he and another worker were injured.

Haverford West Magistrates Court heard on Tuesday (21st April) that one worker was knocked unconscious in the incident whilst the other worker sustained serious injuries to his ankle and foot.

The incident happened when the two men were working on erecting a geodesic dome at Tenby’s Manor House Wildlife Park. The basket they were working from fell from the forks of a telehandler when it was being lowered to the ground, striking the two of them.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the worker in control of the tasks being carried out, Richard Lynch, has no training in health and safety procedures on construction sites. He hadn’t used a telehandler or a man basket before and wasn’t aware of the guidance setting out how to use these safely. He hadn’t assessed the risks involved and was using an untrained driver to operate it.

Mr Lynch pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

HSE Inspector Phil Nicolle said after the hearing: “This incident was entirely foreseeable and could have been prevented. If Richard Lynch had planned and managed the task properly and identified the risks, he would have been able to ensure suitable equipment was used, and safe procedures implemented.”