Company fined after agency worker falls from ladder
A malting company in Suffolk has been fined after an agency worker was injured when he fell from a ladder.
The agency worker was working with Pauls Malt Limited at their West Knapton malting factory, near Malton, in May 2015.
He was in the process of checking the fill level of the malt in a container that he was loading when the accident occurred.
He was injured when he fell approximately two metres from a ladder, and sustained two fractures to his right foot, bruising to his chest, and head injuries.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that the company had not carried out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the work at height involved in the task of closing the zipped flaps of the fabric liners in the containers.
A system of work had developed which involved propping a four-metre long ladder against the rear of the container to gain access to the zipped flap. The ladder was too long and was propped at two shallow an angle. During the accident, the ladder slipped outwards at the foot causing the agency worker to fall with the ladder.
Pauls Malt Limited (trading as Boortmalt), of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,257.