Employers ‘should brief agency staff’

Agency staff should be briefed on health and safety protocols by their employers, according to one inspector.

The Health and Safety Executive prosecuted Cornish firm Gregory Distribution for failing to ensure all its workers were aware of proper arrangements, leading to the death of vineyard owner.

An agency driver for the business was present at the time of the accident in 2008, which killed George Musgave, owner of Polmassick Vineyard near St Austell.

Mr Musgrave died when he was attempting to help the driver unload empty bottles from a lorry and the load fell on him, causing fatal injuries to his head and chest.

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Inspector Simon Jones said the “tragic circumstances” might have been avoided if the company bosses had given more information to the temporary employee.

“Where employers use the services of agency staff they should ensure that those agency staff are aware of the systems of work in place and have the skills and training to undertake the required tasks,” he added.

The enterprise was fined £200,000.

This is the second recent case of its kind involving lorries, as two businesses were fined last month over the death of a man in Nottingham.

Posted by Ross George