Fatality shows forklifts not designed for lifting people

Martin Denton, 60, was being lifted in a metal container, known as a stillage, on 10 June 2006 at a factory in Macclesfield when it slipped off and he fell four metres to the concrete floor below. The father-of-three from Rotherham died in hospital later that day from head injuries.

Millennium Rubber International Ltd and United Crane Services Ltd were both prosecuted by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) following the incident at Millennium Rubber's factory at Nab Works, Long Lane, Pott Shrigley.

Chester Crown Court was told United Crane Services had been hired to repair an overhead crane at the factory but had allowed Mr Denton to be lifted in a container designed for materials rather than people.

The HSE investigation found that it had been standard practice for Millennium Rubber to use containers and pallets on forklift trucks to lift workers, despite neither being designed, nor safe, for that purpose.

Millennium Rubber, which produces rubber surfaces for running tracks and children's playgrounds, admitted two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by putting workers' safety at risk. It was fined £90,000 and ordered to pay £21,411 in prosecution costs in a sentencing hearing a Warrington Crown Court on 9 December 2011.

United Crane Services, of Claywheels Lane in Sheffield, also pleaded guilty to one breach of the same act for failing to ensure the safety of its employee, Mr Denton. It was fined £10,000 with costs of £5,000.

HSE principal inspector Tanya Stewart said: "Mr Denton died because neither company followed basic health and safety procedures for working at height. He should never have been expected to stand in a metal stillage, balanced dangerously on the forks of a forklift truck.

"The companies simply did not consider the risks Mr Denton might face if he carried out the repair work to the overhead crane in this way. They should have made sure a safe system for the work was in place before allowing him to start.

"It's disgraceful that the practice of lifting workers on forklift trucks had taken place on many other occasions. Sadly, it was therefore almost inevitable that someone would be seriously injured or killed."

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