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.

A Southampton care home provider was fined £400,000 after a falling lime tree crushed a child who was running on a pavement outside the entrance to the home. It was subsequently found that the tree was diseased with a common fungus and had likely been rotting for several years prior to the accident.  An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that, over a number of years, the company had failed to have in place a strategy to manage trees.

A north-west wine and drinks supplier has been fined £800,000 after a HGV driver was killed by a forklift truck at its depot.  An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the vehicle loading risk assessment was out of date and not fit for purpose and there was no pedestrian and vehicle segregation in place in the loading area. Visiting drivers were not given clear information about site safety.