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Granite firm and director prosecuted after block fell during vehicle unloading
M & R Granite & Marble Ltd and Monzer Mahmoud Alrayes, a director of the company have been fined after a man was trapped under a two-and-a-half tonne pack of stone slabs during unloading of a truck in Hillingdon, London in October 2010.
City of London Magistrates’ heard that the workman was unloading pallets from an articulated truck under the direct supervision of Mr Alrayes, when a pack of stone slabs toppled and fell, trapping him against another pallet.
Injuries to the man’s chest and left arm required several operations and many months of post injury therapy and rehabilitation, which are likely to affect his future employment prospects.
Risks of handling stone slabs “well known”
Mr Monzer Mahmoud Alrayes of 53 Lancaster Road, Northolt pleaded guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety etc. at Work Act 1974. He was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,079.
M & R Granite and Marble Ltd of Unit 20, Brook Industrial Estate, Hayes, Hillingdon, pleaded guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety etc. at Work Act 1974. The firm was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,079.
fter the hearing, HSE’s Inspector Saif Deen said:
“The risks of handling stone slabs and loading or unloading operations from containerised lorries are well known as both the HSE and industry have highlighted.
The incident was completely avoidable as many companies have developed methods of safely unloading containers and there is no reason why M & R Granite & Marble Ltd should be any different.”