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Jul 19, 2023

Worker crushed by 700kg crate on Stakehill Industrial Estate

A worker broke his back and his ribs when he was crushed by a crate at an industrial estate near Oldham. The man in his 20s was working for PSV Glass and Glazing Ltd at the time of the incident two

A worker broke his back and his ribs when he was crushed by a crate at an industrial estate near Oldham.

The man in his 20s was working for PSV Glass and Glazing Ltd at the time of the incident two years ago.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the worker was one of two to move a crate of glass across a warehouse on Stakehill Industrial Estate, Touchet Hall Road.

The pair placed the crate of glass onto a set of skates but it became unstable in the process and the man in his 20s was crushed.

He broke his back and his ribs and also suffered a punctured lung, with the injuries to his back requiring six screws and a plate.

An investigation by the HSE established the set of skates used was hazardous and a pallet truck should have been used instead. There was no assessment of the risks despite another incident in the past, the HSE said.

PSV Glass and Glazing Ltd, which is registered to an address on Hillbottom Road, High Wycombe, admitted a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

The firm was fined £200,000 and was told to cover more than £4,800 in costs by the magistrates at Manchester Magistrates' Court on May 26 of this year.

Sharon Butler of the HSE said: "This incident could so easily have been avoided. Employers should ensure that they carry out an assessment of the risks when moving loads and that the correct equipment is used."

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email [email protected] or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.

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