Shepherd fined £20,000 for safety breach

Shepherd Construction has been fined £20,000 after a worker injured his skull while working on site.

The York-based firm pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act on a site in central Nottingham.

Nottingham magistrates' court heard how a contractor on the site drove a cherrypicker over a concealed manhole cover in August 2007

The cover gave way under the weight of the machine and the cherrypicker toppled over, injuring the driver's skull, back and legs.

The arm of the machine landed in an area that had been occupied by pedestrians and vehicles seconds before.

Martin Giles, and HSE inspector, said: “This was a very dangerous incident in an area that was bustling with pedestrians and vehicles. It could so easily have led to people being killed and has left a worker with serious injuries.

“The company failed to put in place adequate measures to find and record where the manholes and service covers were around the site and failed to take steps to protect them or prevent vehicles from driving over them.

“Operators of mobile elevating work platforms, such as scissor lifts and cherrypickers, must be warned about manhole covers and underground service. When people's lives are at risk it is absolutely inexcusable to leave this to chance.”

Shepherd Construction was ordered to pay £20,000 and £6,900 costs.