News Post
Fine after woman fatally crushed by roller shutter door
Fine after woman fatally crushed by roller shutter door
An electrical company has been fined after a woman was fatally crushed by a roller shutter door.
On 14 August 2016 Heidi Chalkley pressed the button to open the roller-shutter door at Ruth Bagnall Court, Cambridge. She then held onto the grille as it raised and became trapped as it wound around the roller, fatally crushing her body, Peterborough Magistrates’ Court was told.
A HSE investigation found that the sensors at the top of the door were incorrectly wired and no longer functioned as the door opened.
The company that had carried out the work on the roller shutter door since 2012, B.S. Graves (Electrical) Limited, had carried out aninspection only a month before the incident. The company did not check the operation of the safety sensors and failed to identify the fault.
B.S. Graves (Electrical) Limited of Rushmere Close, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £25,000 with costs of £6,500.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Graeme Warden commented: “This tragic and distressing incident has had an untold impact on all those who knew Heidi. It could have been avoided if the company had ensured employees were suitably trained to inspect the doors and the functioning of the safety sensors.”
Latest News
Noise at Work- Updated guidance
Controlling noise at work (L108): updated edition published The HSE has updated its buidance on The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. Many people are exposed to noise levels at work that may be harmful, leading to permanent and incura..
What is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974? The Health and Safety Executive, a UK government agency with the statutory duties of encouraging, regulating and enforcing workplace health, safety and welfare, describes the Act as ‘the primary p..
The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the importance of health and safety in the workplace, with 71% of surveyed UK employees having admitted to feeling unsafe when working. However, the risk of COVID transmission is hardly the only one for which empl..
Police Scotland have admitted their failings "materially contributed" to the death of a young mother who lay undiscovered in a crashed car with her partner for three days. The force on Tuesday pleaded guilty to health and safety failings..
What Do Health and Safety Consultants Do?
As determined by a House of Lord’s judgement in 1932, organisations have a duty of care to the health and safety of their employees and direct customers, as well as other people who could be affected by the organisation. ..
The UK’s hospitality sector has been hit severely by the COVID-19 pandemic, having lost a mammoth £80.6bn of sales from the start of April 2020 to the end of March 2021, as the UKHospitality Quarterly Tracker with research firm CGA&n..
Of course, there are many clear benefits of health and safety training - with varying degrees of importance depending on the type of industry you operate in. Without it, workplace injuries happen, and employees can get seriously hurt. Neg..
Businesses and organisations that employ five or more individuals have a legal requirement to look after them and put in place adequate employee safety practices. While health and safety is one thing, the implementation of a system requires ..
Your Guide To Food Health & Safety
Food safety is an umbrella term that encompasses all practices that food businesses must adhere to in order to make sure that food is fit to eat, including subcategories such as food hygiene. Making sure that your food premises have good food he..
Here at SMS Europe, we have a range of different Health & Safety Audits to suit all types of businesses. A Health & Safety Audit can assist you in understanding where your business is in terms of its Health and Safety management. You can..
Builder goes to jail for failing to report an incident where a worker was seriously injured
A builder has been imprisoned for 24 weeks after he failed to report a serious incident at a construction site he was in charge of. Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that on 8 January 2019, worker Simon Lewis had been clearing a site on C..
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is inspecting fabricated metal businesses across Great Britain to check that they are managing the respiratory risks of welding fumes and metalworking fluids. From today, World Asthma Day 2021, health and safe..