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Cannock construction boss fined after worker's foot crushed

A Cannock construction boss has been fined for forging documents to deflect blame after an incident which saw a worker's foot crushed by a cherry picker-like machine.

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The injured man was helping to replace a window at Leeds Prison when a wheel on the mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) he was operating became stuck and partially ran over his right foot inflicting multiple fractures, as well as a fracture to his left ankle and causing significant soft tissue damage to both feet.

The Health and Safety Executive subsequently investigated the incident which occurred on September 8, 2014 and as a result four parties have now been fined including Stuart Tombs of Hednesford, who was site manager during the job.

It was discovered he forged or fabricated health and safety documents in an attempt to pass off responsibility.

Tombs, aged 49 and from Bondway in Hednesford, pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Earlier this month - Friday April 1 - magistrates in Leeds fined him £100 and ordered him to pay £149 in court costs.

The court heard Tomb's company SJT Site Management, based on Watling Street, Bridgtown, failed to carry out a suitable site safety induction and supervise the MEWP operation competently.

The firm also admitted health and safety breaches and were fined £600 and ordered to pay £199.

SJT were unavailable for comment.

Longcross Construction were the principal contractor for the windows replacement work.

The London-based company was slapped with a £20,000 fine and ordered to pay costs of £303 after admitting safety breaches including failing to check a risk assessment.

Similarly, Fewell Engineering, of Salisbury, Wiltshire, which had been subcontracted to carry out the work and employed the injured man were deemed to be equally culpable for failing to prepare suitable risk assessments and method statements. They too were fined £20,000 and made to pay costs of £702.

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