Advertising Printing Company Fined After Fatal Overhead Door Repair

Brief Summary

An advertising printing company was fined 400,000 after a maintenance worker died from catastrophic injuries during an attempt to re tension springs on an electrically operated overhead door. The investigation found inadequate maintenance, a lack of routine inspection, and that the worker was allowed to carry out high risk repairs without suitable training or the right risk controls.

What Was The Incident?

On 5 September 2022, a maintenance worker was carrying out maintenance on an electrically operated sectional overhead door at a manufacturing site. While attempting to re tension the door springs using an industrial wrench, the tool slipped. The spring unwound in an uncontrolled manner, ejecting the wrench and striking him. He died the following day from the injuries sustained.

What Was The Outcome?

The employer pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety duties and requirements for work equipment. It was fined 400,000 and ordered to pay 17,854 in costs. The outcome followed findings that the doors were not adequately maintained, there was no effective routine inspection or preventative maintenance, and the worker was not suitably trained for the high risk repairs.

Key Points To Consider

Maintain powered door systems to an effective inspection standard. Where door systems contain stored energy, failures to maintain and detect deterioration can lead directly to severe consequences, especially when there have already been earlier incidents.

Use routine inspection and preventative maintenance to prevent deterioration. A lack of a planned programme of routine inspection and preventative maintenance meant deterioration went unchecked and the doors were left in a poor condition.

Train people for high risk repairs, and do not allow untrained work. The case identified repeated permission for repairs to be carried out without suitable training, showing that competence must be established and maintained for the task.

Establish a safe system of work supported by risk assessment. The employer failed to carry out a suitable risk assessment and did not put a safe system of work in place for the repair activity.

Ensure work equipment is suitable, and provide appropriate tools and equipment. The investigation found the employer did not ensure appropriate tools and equipment for the work, despite the work involving stored energy in door springs.

HSE Prosecution Link