Farm fined over teen worker’s foot crushing

An East Yorkshire farm business has been ordered to pay more than £11,000 after a teenage farmworker’s foot was crushed by falling concrete.

The 17-year-old worker, who has not been named, suffered serious crush injuries to his foot in the 2017 incident.

Bridlington Magistrates’ Court heard that on 20 December 2017 a concrete panel was dropped during a lifting operation involving a telehandler on a farm in Owstwick, Yorkshire.

See also: Safe farms, safe staff and visitors – a guide to legislation

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the panel was being installed to repair a pig shed.

A telehandler was used to lower the panel, weighing more than a tonne, into place and the load fell after the tines of the telehandler were withdrawn.

The panel fell on to the young worker, resulting in midfoot fractures and crush injuries.

T Cook & Son (Farmers) Ltd of Kenby Farm, Owstwick, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 8 (1) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998.

The company has been fined £4,690 and ordered to pay £7,045.96 in court costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Sarah Taylor, said: “All lifting activities should be properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner.

“This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices. HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those responsible for lifting operations, especially when young persons are put at risk.”