Firms warned following cut-glass accident
December 03, 2007
Employers have been told to crack down on unsafe working practices by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), following a "horrific" accident in Wales.
Port Talbot-based Vizor Tempered Glass was successfully prosecuted by the HSE after employee Ricky Waters fell into a skip full of broken glass - and then had another pane fall on him.
The 38-year-old was precariously balanced on a stillage attached to a forklift truck in order to dispose of waste glass prior to the October 2006 accident, when he was hit by a gust of wind.
HSE inspector Alan Strawbridge said: "The company has admitted a failure to carry out proper risk assessments and a failure to have safe systems of work in place, which ultimately resulted in this incident.
"Companies - especially those dealing with potentially hazardous materials such as glass - need to ensure that they implement and maintain safe systems of work to avoid incidents like this occurring."
Due to the terrible injuries inflicted by the broken glass, Mr Waters has now lost the sight in one eye and has had major reconstructive surgery on his face.
Unsafe working practices by firms can often lead to prosecution and compensation claims.