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16 November 2005 - Warehouse Incident
Highlights Safety Issues
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A warehouse incident at premises in Silvertown, London, on
Sunday 27 July 2003, in which a young warehouse employee received injuries
consisting of a fractured pelvis and crushed vertebra, has prompted the Health
and Safety Executive (HSE) to highlight a number of important safety issues in
the commercial storage and warehousing industries.
The HSE emphasises safety issues such as the following:
The young warehouse worker, 22 year old Mr.Tristan Arkless, fell from a
temporary platform, which had been erected between two racking units.
Mr. Arkless and three temporary co-workers were attempting to remove boxes from
higher shelving, when the accident occurred. No effective fall prevention
measures had been put in place.
Mr. John Crookes, HSE Inspector who investigated the incident, said:
"This is an example of what can happen when work at height is not
properly planned and when young, inexperienced workers are not supervised. It
highlights the need for companies to make sure safety procedures are in place
whenever their employees are at work, not just during normal hours.
"The company should have made a proper risk assessment prior to commencing the
job and provided a system of work incorporating a safe means of access, such
as a tower scaffold, an order picker or cherry picker, together with
appropriate training tailored to the use of the equipment chosen. At no stage
should employees have been required to climb the racking itself.
"The company should also have ensured that a competent supervisor was present
on site, i.e. someone who could assess the risks and, unlike Mr Arkless and
the temporary workers, recognise that working at a height of 3.5 metres on
unsecured boards placed across an aisle between two racking units was unsafe
and should not have been attempted."
The company involved, Iron Mountain (UK) Ltd., pleaded guilty to breaching
Section 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, at the City
of London Magistrates' Court and was fined the maximum figure of £20,000 for
breach and ordered to pay £5,000 to Mr. Arkless, with court costs of £2,376.
Article by Alexandra Johnston
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