A BOAT-BUILDING company has been fined after a worker broke his arm in a fall.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted internationally renowned Clare Lallows Ltd after the incident last August.
At Isle of Wight Magistrates Court today (Thursday), the company, which has a workshop in Cowes, was fined £1,000 with £1,000 costs.
In a statement issued after the case, the HSE said the worker, who had been at the company 16 years, fell 1.4m from a staging area which had no barrier around it.
The employee was off work for five months as a result of the accident, magistrates heard.
A HSE spokesman said after the case: "During a visit to the boatyard after the incident, HSE found the company had added rope guard rails but they were not robust enough to prevent further falls from the high staging, where work was still taking place.
"A Prohibition Notice was served preventing any further work at height and Clare Lallow Ltd complied by constructing a scaffolding and guard rail system."
After the hearing HSE Inspector Craig Varian said: "The company’s failings left an individual injured for a significant period of time. Yet the incident was avoidable. Clare Lallow Ltd should have recognised the risks and installed simple, low-cost solutions to prevent the employees falling from this staging around the boat.
"You don’t have to fall from a great height to lose your life. It’s wrong that workers like the one in this case suffer preventable injuries because simple steps have not been taken to manage obvious workplace risks. It is vital all work is properly planned, assessed and then implemented.
"Work at height is inherently dangerous and if not managed properly can result in serious injury or even death. I hope this hearing serves as a further reminder of the serious risks posed when employees are carrying out jobs at height."