London borough fined £500,000 after worker injured cutting trees

A London borough has been fined half a million pounds after a road worker suffered serious injury whilst cutting trees.

The employee of the London Borough of Havering was injured in March 2015 while using a cut-off saw that had been fitted with an inappropriate blade.

The blade became stuck and the worker was hurt when he pulled it free. He sustained a serious cut injury above his left knee and required 60 stitches.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the wrong equipment was being used for the task. It also discovered that no risk assessment had been conducted for the use of the saw and blade.

The HSE said a safe system of work should have been in place that identified suitable and compatible machinery for certain tasks.

The London Borough of Havering pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court to breaching Regulations 4(2) and 4(3) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, and was fined £500,000 and ordered to pay costs of £8,240.