Swindon-based equipment hire company Rapid Hire (Swindon) has been fined for continuing unsafe working practices and ignoring safety warnings from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Chippenham Magistrates heard yesterday that HSE served four Improvement Notices on the firm in October last year for failing to provide adequate training for forklift trucks operators and telehandlers, and for failing to provide proper inspections for equipment available for hire.
The notices were issued to protect employees and customers from potential injury. But when an HSE inspector paid a return check visit to the company’s Devizes Road base three months later he discovered three of the notices had been ignored and dangerous practices were continuing.
Rapid Hire was found guilty of three separate breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 for failing to comply with the notices and fined a total of £800 with costs of £1,215.95.
Speaking after the prosecution, HSE inspector Ian Whittles said: “Rapid Hire blatantly ignored warnings and the Improvement Notices served to them, neglecting its duty of care to its employees and customers.
“Even though there were no reported incidents, serious safety breaches continued and these could easily have resulted in serious injury.”
