Lack of training caused life changing injuries

Lack of training caused life changing injuries

Essex tree specialist company, Oak View Tree Specialists Limited, has been fined after a skip loading dumper overturned severely injuring a worker.

Basildon Magistrates’ Court heard how the injured person, who was an employee at the company, was working at the rear of a house in Benfleet, Essex on 26 September 2014 when the incident occurred. The 19-year-old employee had only a few minutes training on the use of the dumper truck. He had no driving licence and was not wearing a safety belt when he overturned the vehicle.

He was airlifted to hospital where he was found to have broken his back. He spent months in hospital and his injuries are life-changing. It is not known if he will ever be able to walk again.

On 17 June 2015, Oak View Tree Specialists Limited, of Rayleigh, Essex, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 9(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 as it failed to ensure that its employees received adequate training for the purposes of health and safety. The company was fined £3,000 with costs of £1,500.