Knights Chamber, Nightingale Court, in Peterborough heard that on August 3, 2016, a trainee of M&J Engineers Limited climbed onto the roof of the accommodation cabin to attach an electric buoy to the chains of a movable winch.
The crane operator, not properly trained, began to extend the boom and move the crane into position. The crane is not properly installed and the boom has flipped towards the trainee.
The apprentice jumped away by the boom to avoid a fatal accident, but his fall from a height caused injuries to his leg and back.
The HSE investigation found that the company did not have a safe working system in place and that the crane operator was not adequately trained.
There were no clear instructions regarding the use of the crane or the areas that the crane was prohibited from operating. They also did not have any means of ensuring that the trainee was managed appropriately.
M&J Engineers of Hitchin, Hertfordshire, was found guilty of health and safety crimes and was fined £ 220,000 and ordered to pay costs of £ 65,443.72.
Speaking after the hearing, Health, Safety and Environment Inspector Nigel Feitzhaug said, “It is incumbent upon those in control of the business to provide appropriate training to their employees so that they can operate equipment safely and devise safe working methods. This includes providing appropriate information, instruction and training for their workers.”
