Firm fined £90,000 for ignoring lifting equipment warnings

Mold Magistrates’ Court heard that, between 4 April 2014 and 28 August 2015, GHA Coaches failed to have its lifting equipment thoroughly examined within the required timescales to ensure that health and safety conditions were maintained and that any deterioration could be detected and remedied in good time.

In 2015, an inspection revealed overdue Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) examinations on at least 14 items. An improvement notice was served, and extended twice, and still resulted in a failure to comply.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that a previous improvement notice was served in 2011.

GHA Coaches, of Vauxhall Industrial Estate, Ruabon, Wrexham, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 9(3)(a)(ii) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), and failing to comply with an Improvement Notice, and was fined a total of £90,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,068.

For further information on lifting equipment visit:http://www.hse.gov.uk/pUbns/indg290.pdf