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Fined after driver fell from tipper truck

14th June 2012, Page 16
14th June 2012
Page 16
Page 16, 14th June 2012 — Fined after driver fell from tipper truck
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MOLE VALLEY Feed Solutions has been fined £6,000 after a driver suffered severe injuries when he fell from the top of a tipper truck onto a concrete floor while removing the cover from his load.

In a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecution, Chippenham Magistrates’ Court was told how Lee Waters, 34, of Devizes, was working at the Mole Valley feed mill at the Porte Marsh industrial estate in Wiltshire in July 2011 when he fell from the steps of his grain lorry.

He suffered a fractured pelvis and wrist, and was hospitalised for seven days.

During his recovery, he was unable to leave his house unassisted and spent a total of 11 weeks off work.

Since the incident, Waters has been told he will regain only 80% of the use of his wrist and has been diagnosed with arthritis. An HSE investigation found that Waters fell from the vehicle because the company had failed to put basic safety measures in place to ensure the large cover could be taken off safely.

Mole Valley Feed Solutions pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(2) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was also ordered to pay £4,087 in costs. Ian Whittles, HSE inspector says: “It is vital that employers provide the right equipment for their staff to do their job safely when working at height.”

Simple measures

Simple measures could have been taken, such as providing a long-handled crank handle to operate the sheet from the ground. This arrangement is commonly provided in lorries for such purposes.


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