Contractor in court over tree fall

[SafetyForward]

Contractor fined for worker?s 60ft tree fall | Media centre - HSE

 

A tree surgeon dislocated his hip after falling more than 18 metres to the ground when the limb of a diseased tree he was working on gave way, a court heard today.

 

Daniel Hunt, 40, from Lydney, also suffered cuts and bruising in the incident at Courtfield Drive, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, on 18 April 2013.

 

The fall occurred as he helped to cut down a damaged chestnut tree that had shed another limb a few days earlier.

 

HSE’s investigation found the risk assessment for the work was inadequate as it should have identified the need for a more suitable work platform. The work could have been undertaken from a larger platform, meaning that Mr Hunt would not have to had physically climb into the tree to cut it.

 

 

Don't let insufficient paperwork land you in court and ruin your business reputation.

 

Marisa - Safety Forward Ltd

Edited October 8, 2014 by Steve Bullman
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[Loler UK]

a £2000 fine plus 750 costs is getting away pretty lightly IMO, hope the climber fully recovers, perhaps if the council in question weren't so intent on screwing the price down so low occurrences like this would be less likely?

 

AA approved contractors have raised concerns numerous times regarding the low tenders, poor work and substandard H&S on site of Coles, the sad thing is that it doesn't appear to have changed things one bit!

[Arran Turner]

Did well not to die from 18m that's a long way down

[josharb87]

Errrr.....

 

Mr Hunt used the platform to access the tree before attaching himself with a rope and steel strap that was also attached to the platform via another rope.

 

He started to cut the limb of the tree to which he was attached. However, while he was cutting away the section above his anchor points the whole limb collapsed and fell away from the trunk of the tree. Mr Hunt fell with the tree limb and the rope attaching him to the platform snapped.

[Aicchalmers]

Fine really is nothing compared to someone getting their finger caught in a drill ending up with a fine of 14k...

Firm prosecuted after worker loses fingertip in unguarded drill | Media centre - HSE

[Andy Collins]

Reading this, it appears that the emphasis and resulting fine is due to the inadequate risk assessment, to send a message to others to get it right. The injury is, IMO, relegated into 2nd place in this case.

[skyhuck]

Errrr.....

 

Mr Hunt used the platform to access the tree before attaching himself with a rope and steel strap that was also attached to the platform via another rope.

 

He started to cut the limb of the tree to which he was attached. However, while he was cutting away the section above his anchor points the whole limb collapsed and fell away from the trunk of the tree. Mr Hunt fell with the tree limb and the rope attaching him to the platform snapped.

 

I had cut the exact same section, after read the article, before reading your post WTF?????

 

He started to cut the limb of the tree to which he was attached. However, while he was cutting away the section above his anchor points the whole limb collapsed and fell away from the trunk of the tree. Mr Hunt fell with the tree limb and the rope attaching him to the platform snapped.

[ukminch]

Sounds to me like there's more to the story here!

[Breezeblock]

it sounds poorly explained to a court it looks like a picture could tell a thousand words