Metals firm fined over employee’s crane injuries
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Metal manufacturer Firth Rixson Metals has been fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £7,024 in prosecution costs after an employee was seriously injured when struck by a container swinging from an overhead crane.
Buxton Magistrates' Court was told the 50-year-old worker had been using the crane to lift an open-sided container carrying more than 50 long metal tubes. The tubes slid out as he lifted the 300kg container. This caused it to swing in the opposite direction and it hit the worker, breaking his right leg in two places.
The HSE investigation found two plate clamps had been used in diagonally opposite corners of the stillage, which meant it became unstable when it was lifted.
The court was told Firth Rixson Metals should have found another way of moving the metal tubes using appropriate work equipment so that workers were not put at risk. Because the stillage was open-sided, there was a high risk of the tubes sliding out when it was lifted.
The company pleaded guilty to a single breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
Firth Rixson Metals produces specialised metals for the aerospace, medical, oil and nuclear industries. The incident happened at its Shepley Street factory in Glossop in June last year.
