A food wholesaler in Swindon has been fined £60,000 for not having a suitable Health and Safety plan in place. The wholesaler, N&B, employs more than 50 people at its warehouse and operates day and night, six days a week.
So where did the food wholesaler go wrong?
Officers from the borough council carried out an inspection at the premises and found a number of issues including:
ÂThe Operations Manager was not properly trained in Health and Safety
ÂThey failed to have a suitable Health and Safety plan in place
ÂThere were no proper risk assessments for the forklift truck operations
ÂDrivers were not properly trained
ÂThere were issues with the shelving in the warehouse & harnesses for working at height.
The Health and Safety Director pleaded guilty to the Health and Safety offences and was put on a 2 year conditional discharge with £2,500 costs. The company were fined £56,250 with £7,500 costs.
Passing sentence, Judge Tim Mousley QC said: "These constitute multiple breaches. Some of them are not as serious as is often the case but this does not get round the fact that these were widespread breaches. The risks to the employees seem to me to be this. Firstly a risk of being struck by vehicles, risk of falls from man up cages, risk of being struck by objects. That sets out the extent of the company's failings in relation to health and safety issues."
Legal duties for organisations
It is an employer's duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees and other people who might be affected by their business. As an organisation if you have 5 or more employees are required by law to have:
ÂA documented Health and Safety Policy;
ÂDocumented arrangements for the organisation, planning, control, monitoring and review of Health and Safety Practices;
ÂDocumented suitable and sufficient Risk Assessments for all significant hazards and;
ÂAccess to competent Occupational Health and Safety Consultancy advice.
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ÂDedicated Health & Safety Consultancy and detailed Risk Management action plans
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