Farm machinery manufacturer fined £16,000 after worker suffers crushed leg
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A Buckinghamshire farm machinery manufacturer has been fined £16,000 after safety breaches led to an employee's leg being crushed.
K Two Sales' failure to carry out a proper assessment had been a direct cause of the accident, Aylesbury Magistrates Court heard.
Waldemar Makowski, a 42 year old worker, suffered multiple fractures when a trailer chassis fell onto his leg in August 2011.
K Two Sales of Haddenham had not investigated the risk of the chassis falling or provided an adequate system for moving heavy items, the HSE argued.
HSE inspector Karl Howes said: "This incident shows that employers need to fully consider and assess the stability of work equipment. Had K Two Sales Limited undertaken a proper assessment of the movement of the chassis sooner then Mr Makowski need not have suffered serious injury."
Howes added: "HSE will not hesitate to prosecute those who put workers at risk in this way."
K Two Sales has since redesigned the draw bar system for removing chassis to improve safety, the court heard.
The company pleaded guilty to a breach of Regulation 20 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Regulation 3(1)(a) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
The company was fined a total of £16,000 and ordered to pay £3,102 in costs.
