A leading tyre maker has admitted breaching health and safety
laws after an employee broke his leg in a
work accident.
Pirelli was fined £9,000 and ordered to pay £4,282 costs after
pleading guilty over the incident, in which a man was hit by a
forklift truck in the company's Carlisle factory.
Contractor Allan Miller, 62, was unable to return to his normal
duties after being hit from behind while walking through the curing
department at the Dalston Road site.
The Health and Safety Executive prosecuted Pirelli Tyres for
failing to properly manage the risks to pedestrians, including
failing to inform contractors of the precautions required to ensure
their safety.
North Cumbria Magistrates' Court in Carlisle heard the vision of
forklift truck drivers was frequently obscured because their loads
had to be lowered to avoid overhead obstructions. A risk assessment
by Pirelli had found the area should be a pedestrian-free zone.
There had been several previous incidents involving pedestrians
and forklifts in the same area of the factory.
Pirelli Tyres Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of
the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.