Martin Dawes hit with fine

8:30am Thursday 17th July 2008

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ELECTRICALS firm Martin Dawes has been prosecuted for the second time in less than 13 months for putting employees at its Winsford Warehouse at risk of serious injury.

The company was fined £12,000 on Friday after an employee fell from a height while restacking pallets in July 2007.

And in June 2007, it was fined £20,000 after health and safety officers found racking uprights had not been secured to the ground properly and shelves were buckling and rusty, placing workers in danger.

Following the most recent investigation, Vale Royal Borough Council’s health and safety technical officer found the practices she saw at the warehouse to be inadequate.

She noted health and safety appeared to have been given a low priority by the company both in terms of training and practice, and risk assessments undertaken by Martin Dawes were found to be unsuitable, insufficient and did not acknowledge the potential of falls from height.

Appearing at Vale Royal Magistrates’ Court on Friday, July 11, the company pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to ensure the health and safety of persons in their employment under the Health and Safety at Work Act, and failure to conduct suitable and sufficient risk assessments under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations.

Clr John Turnbull, lead councillor for community safeguards, said: “It is disappointing that a company of the size and resources of Martin Dawes Limited fail to take adequate steps to ensure the health and safety of their staff, where this occurs the council will take appropriate action.

“Environmental Health and Housing Services have a duty to enforce legislation to protect the health and safety of workers within our borough. Whilst court action is regrettable, it does send out a clear message to offenders and other employers that we take our duties very seriously indeed.”