Fitter "fell to his death" at work
15/04/2010
Maidstone Crown Court has fined a plant hire firm £200,000 after one of its workers fell to his death.
Ashtead Plant Hire, Warrington, admitted breaching health and safety law and was also ordered to pay costs of £15,698.30. It was operating under the name A-Plant at the time.
Phillip Pearce, from the Medway area, was working as a fitter for the firm which supplies the construction sector with portable accommodation.
The 55-year-old was working at the company's depot at Tovil, Maidstone, when he slipped from a stack of units and fell five metres.
He had climbed onto the stack to attach lifting chains so the top unit could be moved. He died at the scene on 16 August 2006 after working for the company for less than three months.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) showed the company failed to follow its own health and safety guidelines for work at height.
HSE prosecuted the firm who admitted breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Mr Pearce's job required people to wear a safety harness and inertia reel line and climb a secured ladder. If they slipped or fell, the line would lock and prevent a serious fall.
HSE's investigation found that workers at the depot had not been issued with this kit or been trained to use it and most did not know the company had a special procedure for doing this work.
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