SCARBOROUGH: Wolseley UK has been fined £30 000 after a worker suffered multiple injuries at its Plumb Center Scarborough warehouse. Safety experts called the accident “near fatal” when a roller shutter door failed in January last year.
An environmental health investigation found that the door had failures in multiple parts due to poor maintenance. Although the door had been repaired in the past, this only happened when a fault occurred rather than as part of planned maintenance.
Scarborough Council prosecuted Wolseley under health and safety legislation, and the court hearing, held at Scarborough Magistrates Court on Friday, resulted in the company being fined £30 000 along with £1400 costs awarded to Scarborough Council.
Steve Pogson, health and community manager at Scarborough Council, said: “This was a very serious incident that could so easily have had fatal consequences. The prosecution and heavy penalty should serve as a warning to everyone with health and safety responsibilities that they must ensure they maintain potentially dangerous equipment in a safe manner."
Mr Pogson added: “Our officers were kept informed by Wolseley UK and its representatives as the company put in place procedures to ensure that all roller shutter doors on their premises are now maintained in an effective way.
"We are pleased at how the company has worked with specialist door engineers to arrive at a comprehensive inspection regime to ensure no future re-occurrences of this nature. It is understood that this inspection and maintenance regime is now being adopted nationally.”
A spokesperson for the national merchant said: "Wolseley UK takes its responsibilities and the health and safety of its employees very seriously. The health and safety team have co-operated fully with the Council throughout its investigation into this matter.”
