An environmental health team is reminding employers of the help available to keep employees safe following a case at Oban Sheriff Court.
The firm 3663 Alba Ltd was fined £3,000 after a worker, who had been given no formal training, had his hand badly injured while driving a forklift truck.
Steven Tonner was rushed to hospital after his hand was crushed when he crashed the truck on January 4 last year.
Argyll and Bute Council’s environmental health team is highlighting that it can offer employers advice in meeting legal requirements to keep employees safe at work.
Councillor David Kinniburgh, Policy Lead for Regulatory Services, said: “The council is committed to supporting local businesses, which is why our environmental health team engages proactively with all employers, big and small, to help them work well.
“As a partner with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), we have a role in supporting businesses to manage risk, helping them tackle work-related ill health as well as avoiding the potentially costly fines which come with breaches of health and safety legislation.
“We can be proud of the record of the overwhelming majority of businesses in Argyll and Bute when it comes to occupational health and safety, however, where and when necessary we do take enforcement action, such as in this recent case.
“An accident investigation by our team identified failings in the company’s management of mandatory health and safety training which led to a prosecution and a fine of £3,000.
“This should serve as a reminder to other businesses of the potentially serious consequences of breaking health and safety at work law. No matter the type of business, workers have the right to have the appropriate training to ensure they go home safe and well at the end of their working day.”
