Wirral bakery fined £400k after worker’s leg amputated

A bakery firm has been fined £400,000 after a worker was hit by a cherry picker and had to have her leg amputated.

Sharon Bramhall, 58, had been supervising cleaning tasks when she was struck by the machine at Baker & Baker Products UK Limited in Wirral.

The company admitted breaching health and safety laws.

The Health and Safety Executive said the incident could have been avoided if safety measures were in place.

Ms Bramhall had been supervising four other members of staff as they completed high-level cleaning tasks at the company’s premises in Bromborough during a night shift on 22 April 2022, the watchdog said.

She had been acting as “a banksman” for an employee who was controlling a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP).

As the MEWP turned through 90 degrees into the warehouse it struck Ms Bramhall who became trapped under it.

She was hospitalised for three months and has had nine operations, including several skin grafts.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said Ms Bramhall told Liverpool Magistrates’ Court she was struggling with her recovery and now used a wheelchair.

An HSE investigation revealed Baker & Baker Products UK Limited had failed to have “a suitable and sufficient safe system of work when escorting MEWP’s from a parked position to point of use”.

The watchdog said the company, which was also ordered to pay costs of £7,266 and a victim surcharge of £190, had also failed to provide information, instruction and training for the movement of the MEWP and use of banksman.

It had also failed to adhere to their normal practice and company policy to ensure a trained MEWP operator acted as banksman.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Ian Betley said Ms Bramhall had “suffered terrible injuries that will affect her for the rest of her life due to the failings of her employer”.

“The risk assessment decided that someone was needed to escort the MEWP, thus a safe system of work needed to be devised,” he said.

“Employees should have been given appropriate banksman training, including how to effectively communicate with the driver.

“Had these been in place, Sharon’s injuries could have been avoided.”