A leading manufacturer of aircraft seats has been fined £660,000 after one of its employees suffered horrific injuries when he fell through a roof at a site in South Wales.
Safran Seats GB Limited was carrying out work to vacate its premises in Llantarnam Industrial Park in Cwmbran when the incident happened on 19 May 2020.
Kevin Lewis, who was 62 at the time, suffered multiple broken bones, including eight to his ribs, his collar bone, as well as a fractured skull. He had been dismantling and removing a spraying booth when he fell more than seven feet through its roof.
Mr Lewis was knocked unconscious as he hit the concrete floor and suffered a bleed on the brain.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found inadequate planning of the work at height meant suitable equipment wasn’t used and insufficient instruction and training had been given to those carrying out the work.
In the five-year period between 2017 and 2022, 174 workers in Great Britain – a quarter of those killed in accidents at work – tragically fell to their death. HSE guidance can be found at: Work at height – HSE.
Safran Seats GB Limited pleaded guilty at Cwmbran Magistrates Court on June 14 2023 to breaching section 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and fined £660,000. They must also pay costs of £13,472.
HSE Inspector Seren Linton said: “Those in control of any work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working.
“They should also provide the necessary information, instruction, and training to their workers on the safe system of working.
“If these basic practices had been followed, this incident would have been entirely preventable.”
Notes to editors
- The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise.
- More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
- Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
- Advise on preventing falls while working at height is available.