Brighouse company fined £48,000 as worker suffers temporary blindness after being hit by falling object

Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 10 August 2016, the worker at Halifax Rack and Screw Cutting Co Ltd was hit by a heavy object falling from racking.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the employee was using an overhead travelling crane to move an item within the factory.

The crane was positioned above an area of storage racking. The travelling crane’s “festoon” power cables displaced a heavy object stored on the top level of the racking, which fell and struck him on the head.

Halifax Rack and Screw Cutting Co Ltd of Coronation works Armytage Road Brighouse pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 10(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined £48,024 with £2,051 costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Sally Gay said: “Being struck by a falling object is a major cause of death and injury, which can be easily prevented by taking simple steps.

“This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.”