Mansfield firm fined after two crushing accidents

A Mansfield firm has been fined £3,300 after two workers were crushed
in separate accidents within weeks of each other.

The incidents happened at Bradder Way company SDC Trailers Ltd - the
Nottinghamshire base for trailer manufacturers SDC Parts and Services
Ltd, which ships lorry tyres and wheel and tyre assemblies from its
factory base in Northern Ireland to Mansfield twice a week.

Both branches of the company admitted breaches of Health and Safety
legislation at a hearing before Mansfield magistrates on Wednesday.

Worker David Shaw had his knee crushed while unloading a consignment
of lorry, wheel and tyre assemblies packed in Northern Ireland from a
curtain sided trailer on 4th June 2007.

The second accident took place five weeks later when Darren Clay, also
of SDC Parts and Services Ltd, was crushed when preparing to unload
lorry tyres from a curtain sided trailer loaded by SDC Trailers Ltd.

When Mr Clay released the curtain an unsecured stack of tyres fell
from the trailer, pinning him against an adjacent vehicle and causing
him tissue damage to his arm.

Maureen Kingman, principal inspector of Health and Safety for
Nottingham, said the tyres had not been secured properly and had
tumbled out when released.

"The trailers were not packed with a view to unloading or safety at
the other end," she said. "The company fell well short of the
standards set by the law."

During the hearing, magistrates were shown photographs of the tyres -
which weighed around 35kg and measured one metre in diameter.

In mitigation, Tony Wilkinson apologised on behalf of the company and
said similar content had been shipped between the two sites on many
occasions since 1996 with no problems.

"The company takes Health and Safety duties very seriously and has a
committee in place where employees can raise any concerns," he said.
"These incidents were taken very seriously and have been discussed at
board level and proper steps have been taken to make things right.
Extra staff have been employed to identify risk assessment areas and
loads are now inspected when loading in Northern Ireland and inspected
again before unloading in Mansfield."

Mr Wilkinson said the company had sought no financial gain from
transporting the loads in such a manner.

SDC Parts and Services Ltd in Northern Ireland was fined £2,600 for
failing to make a suitable and sufficient risk assessments for their
employees in relation to the unloading of trailers containing lorry
tyres and wheel and tyre assemblies.

Mansfield magistrates said the accidents were serious breaches of
Health and Safety legislation and also ordered both firms to pay
£1,824.60 costs.

After Wednesday's decision, a Health and Safety Executive spokesman
urged all companies to follow worker safety guidelines.

"The unloading of trailers in which loads had not been properly
secured places those involved at considerable risk," he said. "The
outcome of these incidents - the injuries and the subsequent fine -
reminds us that the results can be serious for people and for
businesses that fail to comply with their health and safety duties."