The man fell two metres from a four metre long ladder propped against the rear of a container being loaded with malt for export, Scarborough Magistrates Court heard.
The ladder was too long for this purpose and was propped at too shallow an angle. It slipped outwards at the foot causing the agency worker to fall with the ladder and sustain two fractures as well as chest and head injuries.
The container was fitted with a full-size fabric liner with a high level loading flap which would be zipped up once the container was full.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident which occurred on 6 May 2015 found that the company had not carried out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the work at height involved in closing the zipped flaps on the fabric liners.
Find out more about working at height regulations and how to comply by clicking here.
Pauls Malt Limited (trading as Boortmalt), of Eastern Way, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,257
