'Impromptu and ill-considered' work method used pallet stack for access
An ill-judged improvisation of a method of work led to a fall and back injury for an employee of dog food producer Wagg Foods Limited of Dalton Industrial Estate, Topcliffe, Yorkshire.
The fork lift truck driver was required to add one of the ingredients manually while an automatic blending process was not working satisfactorily, this required him to access the blending bins by climbing up a stack of 14 pallets to shovel carrot flakes whilst standing amid the feed bag, but on 21st June 2005, during the second shift, the worker lost his balance and fell.
Wagg pleaded guilty at Northallerton Magistrates Court to breaching s.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, for which it was fined £5,000, with costs of £4,807.

Comment:
"This case demonstrates all too clearly how anyone working at height, even at a low level, is at serious risk of injury if work is not properly planned, risks are not assessed and work is not carried out using the right equipment.
In this instance the working methods recommended were impromptu and ill-considered, with disastrous results for the unfortunate employee. The dangers involved in working at height may not be immediately obvious. A much greater awareness is needed amongst employers, employees, and indeed the public in general, something which has been underlined by HSE's has recent high profile, nation wide Height Aware campaign." - HSE Inspector.