A specialist scaffolding contractor has been prosecuted after a worker was seriously injured while loading bins of scaffold fittings onto a lorry in Derby.

Benchmark Scaffolding Limited of Waterside Trading Estate, Hanwell, London pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 8(1) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. It has been fined £40,000 with more than £1,968 in costs and a Victim Surcharge of £170.

Derby Magistrates' Court heard how bins of scaffold fittings were being loaded onto a lorry using a Hi-Ab lorry mounted crane at a site in Chaddesden on 22 February 2016.


However, the Hi-Ab arm knocked 24-year-old employee Lee Gaskin from the bed of the lorry to the ground. He suffered significant injuries to his arms.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that Benchmark Scaffolding failed to properly plan the lifting of scaffolding parts onto a lorry. In addition, it failed to provide clear instructions and supervision as well as failing to ensure that the lifting of scaffold parts was carried out in a safe manner.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Katherine Blunt said: "This was a very serious and wholly avoidable incident, caused by the failure of the company to plan and implement safe systems of work, for the loading of scaffolding parts on to the lorry.

"This incident could so easily have been avoided through the company properly planning the lifting of scaffolding parts onto the lorry, giving clear instructions for employees to follow, and having a competent person identified as Supervisor. This would have ensured the lift was carried out in a safe manner."

(LM)