Prosecutions

The two-year-old was being pushed along a London street in her pram by her mum when a reflector from a streetlight hit her on the head.

A street light operative was fined after the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found he had not erected temporary barriers around the lamp while he was working.

City of London Magistrates' Court heard the operative was instructed by his employers to investigate a faulty street lamp in Hackney on 20 January 2010.

However, when he detached the reflector at the top of the lamp post it fell toward the mother and daughter below. The two-year-old needed stitches to her wound, but her mum escaped unhurt.

The HSE investigation found the incident was entirely preventable. Temporary barriers should have been used to segregate pedestrians from the work area around the lamp before the operative dismantled the reflector.

A HSE Inspector commented on the case:

"This was a serious incident that needlessly injured a small child and caused her mother understandable distress.

"No blame can be attached to the company, as the operative had been properly trained by his employer to carry out this kind of work safely.

"Individual employees must realise that they face criminal prosecution by the HSE if they show a reckless disregard for health and safety, putting others at serious risk."

The worker pleaded guilty to breaching Section 7(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He was fined £2,250.00 and ordered to pay costs of £2,888.00