Prosecutions
Man falls from ride on mower, council fined £35,530
24/10/2009
A council employee fell from a ride-on mower in May 2008; he broke two ribs and suffered a compressed lung. His injuries forced to stay off work for 11 weeks and the HSE have prosecuted his employer, Cheltenham Borough Council.
As a result of the prosecution, the council was fined a total of £14,000, plus £3,000 compensation to the injured person and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £18,530.31 by Cheltenham Magistrates.
Cheltenham Borough Council pleaded guilty to charges under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety At Work etc Act 1974 and Regulation 3(1) (a) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
The council had failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for cutting the grass with the ride-on mower. The employee was working on a slope that was too steep for the machine he was using, he had also not received enough information or instruction on how to use the machine. There had been previous incidents that should have made the council take action to improve safety of employees whilst using ride-on mowers.
Speaking after the hearing, the investigating inspector for the HSE said: "This incident was entirely avoidable. This incident sends out a clear message to employers to ensure that they carry out risk assessment, taking all site conditions into account, including steepness of slopes, before deciding which equipment is suitable. They should provide appropriate training for employees - with adequate, instructions so that operators can work safely."
"The injured party and his nearby colleague, who escaped any harm, were lucky and the fact that this was not a fatality was only a matter of chance."
Cheltenham Borough Council pleaded guilty to charges under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety At Work etc Act 1974 and Regulation 3(1) (a) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
The council had failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for cutting the grass with the ride-on mower. The employee was working on a slope that was too steep for the machine he was using, he had also not received enough information or instruction on how to use the machine. There had been previous incidents that should have made the council take action to improve safety of employees whilst using ride-on mowers.
Speaking after the hearing, the investigating inspector for the HSE said: "This incident was entirely avoidable. This incident sends out a clear message to employers to ensure that they carry out risk assessment, taking all site conditions into account, including steepness of slopes, before deciding which equipment is suitable. They should provide appropriate training for employees - with adequate, instructions so that operators can work safely."
"The injured party and his nearby colleague, who escaped any harm, were lucky and the fact that this was not a fatality was only a matter of chance."