A warehouse in Salford has been fined £5,000 plus £3,800 in costs for several health and safety offences including using unsafe ladders and allowing untrained staff to drive forklift trucks.

S Goldstein based at Selecta House in Swinton pleaded guilty of two serious offences under the Health and Safety at Work 1974 at Salford's Magistrates' Court after ignoring formal notices from the council and breaching basic health and safety rules.

On a routine visit to the warehouse back in November 2006, environmental health officers found staff using faulty ladders and untrained workmen driving forklift trucks. Staff were also climbing on the forks of the trucks to reach stock.

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The city council issued three separate notices for these incidents and following a second inspection the warehouse breached the notice by continuing to use the faulty ladders.

The warehouse which supplies kosher food had already received a caution for imported food related offences.

Cllr Keith Mann, Lead Member for the Environment at the City Council said: "The majority of businesses that we inspect operate under the correct health and safety regulations and we will not hesitate to take the appropriate action against any companies that are working unlawfully.

"I'm pleased with the result and hope that it reinforces the importance of keeping employees safe at work."

(CD)