A company has been fined after an employee fell and broke their hip.
The incident happened at Greenhalgh’s Craft Bakery Limited in Lostock, Bolton in April 2024.
Unsafe working at height practices identified
The employee had been standing on a pallet box to dispose of food waste into the top of a skip when they fell.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company had failed to carry out a sufficient risk assessment for loading skips, nor had it provided appropriate equipment to ensure safe access.
The investigation also found that inadequate supervision and monitoring had allowed unsafe working at height practices to become commonplace.
Company fined
Greenhalgh’s Craft Bakery Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
The company was fined £16,667 and ordered to pay costs of £4,333.66, plus a victim surcharge of £2,000, at Tameside Magistrates’ Court on Friday, March 13.
HSE Inspector Leanne Ratcliffe said: “Every employer has a duty to conduct a risk assessment. Employers should identify work-at-height activities and ensure that safe access is available and used.
“They should also ensure systems are in place for supervision and monitoring so that unsafe practices are identified and prevented.”
