Firm fined after worker trapped under stone slabs

Granite business and company director fined after pack of stone slabs falls on employee

A GRANITE business and one of its directors has been fined after a man was trapped under a 2.5-tonne pack of stone slabs while unloading a truck in Hillingdon, London.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted M & R Granite & Marble Ltd and Monzer Mahmoud Alrayes, a director of the company, over the incident, which took place on 21 October 2010.

The City of London Magistrates’ Court heard that the worker, who wishes to remain anonymous, 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.

The resulting 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.

The HSE told the court that M & R Granite & Marble Ltd had failed to ensure the man was not exposed to the risk of falling stone slabs during handling operations.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Saif Deen said: ‘The risks of handling stone slabs and loading or unloading operations from containerized 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.’

Mr Alrayes pleaded guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety etc. at Work Act 1974 and was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,079.

M & R Granite and Marble Ltd also pleaded guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety etc. at Work Act 1974 and were fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,079.