A recycling firm in Lincolnshire has been prosecuted after one of its workers suffered a broken back following an incident where he was hit by a washing machine.
48-year-old Desmond Adlington was working at Environcom England Ltd in Grantham when the incident occurred in April 2013. He was walking back from the canteen and using the goods-in door, walking along one side of a trailer. A 360-degree rotating grabber machine was running on the opposite side of the trailer, lifting scrap goods onto the back of a trailer.
Thinking that the driver of the grabber had seen him, Mr Adlington continued walking and the driver continued loading the goods. However, the incident occurred when a 65-80kg washing machine suddenly became detached from the grabber. It was thrown over the trailer and struck Mr Adlington several metres away.
He suffered fractures to three vertebrae as well as a broken rib and was taken to Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre and later Grantham Hospital. He needed to wear a back brace for over a year and after many months of pain and discomfort underwent an operation to repair his damaged spine. His mobility has been severely affected and he will need further medical interventions for the remainder of his life.
Environcom was issued with two Improvement Notices at the time of the incident, one in relation to the safe work of the grabber machine and one for preventing risks to pedestrians when vehicles were in operation.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched a full investigation into the incident and prosecuted the firm at Lincoln Crown Court.
Earlier this month (2nd February) the court heard that numerous designated pedestrian walkways had been installed after previous HSE enforcement relating to workplace transport. But, since then, two significant routes at the site had fallen below the standard required.
The company was fined £100,000 for the incident along with £16,286 in costs after it pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.