Companies fined £190,000 and £175,000

Two companies have been found guilty of failing to comply with Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. “It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees”.  A Hereford forging company was fined £190,000 after an employee was seriously injured by falling into a pit.  A London concrete pumping company was fined £175,000 after a worker suffered serious head injuries that saw him hospitalised for seven months. Investigations by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that neither company had a safe system of work for the tasks being carried out.  In the second case the injured person was not qualified to operate the machine.