Litter picker falls six metres down wellRSS Feed

An employee of Mansfield District Council experienced an accident at work when he fell six metres into a well, dislocating his elbow and suffering cuts.

The unnamed worker was collecting litter from the White Lion Yard when he stood on a mesh cover over the well, mistakenly thinking it was solid underneath.

As a result of injuries caused by the accident, he was off work for six months.

The council has been fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £5,700 in costs after a court heard that it had failed to ensure the work was planned properly.

"This worker was extremely lucky to survive but he was quite seriously injured," said Health and Safety Executive inspector Stuart Pilkington.

"Falls from height are the biggest causes of workplace deaths and it's crucial that employers make sure work is properly planned, supervised and carried out."

Accident claims advice from Serious Law 

This month, a company in London was fined £5,000 after three workers fell through skylights in separate incidents at an industrial unit in Warrington.

Posted by M E Dixon

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