Three companies and a site manager have been fined after a worker was injured while replacing a window at Leeds Prison in 2014.

Fewell Engineering Limited (FEL), of Fairfield Works, High Wycombe Buckinghamshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It was fined £20,000 with £702 in costs.

Longcross Construction Limited (LCL), of Hill House, Little New Street, London and SJT Site Management Limited (SJT) of Watling Street, Bridgtown, Cannock, Staffordshire both pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. LCL was fined £20,000 with £303 in costs, while SJT was fined £600 with £199 in costs.

-- Advertisement --

Mr Stuart John Tombs, of Bondway, Hednesford, Cannock, Staffordshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 33(1)(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and was fined £100 with £149 in costs.

Leeds Magistrates' Court heard how a window needed to be replaced on the third floor of Leeds Prison on 08 September 2014.

Mr Tombs was the site manager through his own company SJT, which was contracted by principal contractor LCL. FEL was subsequently subcontracted by LCL.

It was an FEL employee who was pushing a trolley with the new window on it when the incident occurred.

An SJT worker was operating a mobile elating work platform (MEWP) and driving it to the location of the work when one of the wheels struck the FEL employee and partially ran over his feet.

The man's injuries included multiple fractures in his right foot, a fracture of his left ankle and significant soft tissue damage to both feet.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that LCL, FEL and SJT had all failed to prepare 'suitable and sufficient' risk assessments and method statements for the operation.

It also found Mr Tombs had forged or fabricated site health and safety documents in an attempt to deflect responsibility.

(LM)