03 April 2012

Joinery Company Fined After Workplace Death

Walter C Campbell Joinery was fined £2,000 plus costs of £1,750 at Laganside Crown Court on 30 March 2012 after previously pleading guilty to a breach of Article 5 of the Health and Safety at Work Order (NI) 1978.

The case arose from a Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) investigation into a fatal incident at the firm’s joinery workshop at Ballinamallard, Co Fermanagh, on 3rd February 2010.

Norman Hanna, a 76 year old self-employed electrician, was working at the joinery workshop when the caged platform he was being lifted in fell off a forklift being driven by an employee of Walter C Campbell Joinery. Mr Hanna fell with the cage and was fatally injured when the cage fell onto him.

The HSENI investigation revealed that the platform had been raised to a height of nearly 3 metres, and was not securely attached or integrated with the forklift at the time. No suitable method had been developed to allow the work at height to be completed in a safe manner.

After the hearing Mr Kevin Campbell, an inspector with HSENI’s Major Investigation Team, said: "It is essential that companies identify and address all significant risks within the workplace. Working at height is a well recognised risk across all industries and there are numerous systems available that allow workers to work safely. All types of work at height must be properly planned and supervised so that workers are not injured or killed."

Further information on working safely at height and other health and safety issues can be found on the HSENI website at www.hseni.gov.uk.

(GK)