Date of article: 08/10/2007
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A Romanian, working as a labourer, has had to have his right leg amputated after he was hit by a 20 tonne shovel whilst working in a restricted loading shed. A lack of English language was said to have contributed to the accident.
Nicolai Danut-Puiu, was a Romanian national who understood little English and had been working as a labourer at the site for a few weeks.
The HSE said that the language barrier was a contributory factor in the accident. Danut-Puju is understood to have claimed that a co-worker, who was "pressed" into working as a translator, had told him "some things but not others" on health and safety procedures at the site.
Commenting on the case to Workplace Law Zameer Bhunnoo, HSE Investigating Inspector told Workplace Law what he said in court:
"Danut-Puju believed he was employed to sort waste from a conveyer and from and the floor of the loading shed, the company said this wasn't the case he was only supposed to work on the conveyer, it was the Crown's case that the company failed to make this clear to him.
"He did have a workplace induction, including a walk around with a supervisor, but because he did not understand English another Romanian member of staff was asked to translate the work duties, in doing this he failed to mention about the loading shed restriction (no staff were allowed there)."
Ethos Recycling company, Uxbridge have been fined £37,000 following the accident after pleading guilty to two breaches of Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at the City of London Magistrates' court.
An increase in foreign workers in Britain, it is essential that companies who need their skills take care to ensure workers fully understand what is required of them, and how to avoid risks in the workplace."
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