Two engineering firms have been fined for safety failings after a worker was injured while unloading steel beams.

Kevin Bradley, who was 54 at the time of the incident in October 2010, had delivered the beams to Falburn Engineering Ltd's premises in Plean, Stirling. He was working with a Falburn forklift truck driver on the unloading operation when he was struck by a falling beam.

Mr Bradley, an HGV driver for Hugh Logan Plant and Engineering Services Ltd, trading as Skerrysteel Services, had been standing on the flatbed trailer when the forklift began to raise the second bundle. As it was lifted, the steel became unstable and rolled away from the forklift truck.

The metal strapping broke and the beams separated, falling towards Mr Bradley. He attempted to jump out of the way but was hit by one of the beams which trapped his feet against the flatbed trailer. He then fell towards the ground with his feet still trapped and put his right hand down to break his fall.

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Stirling Sheriff Court heard how Mr Bradley suffered severe breakages and damage to his right hand. He underwent a 12-hour emergency operation to save and rebuild his hand, but he has yet to regain sufficient function in his right hand to return to work as an HGV driver and may never do so.

A subsequent investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found it would have been good practice to sling the load using a truck fitted with a hook attachment, while the beams should not have been lifted until Mr Bradley had returned to the ground and was in a safe position. Both companies were said to have compromised safety by neglecting to fully assess the risks involved in unloading the steel beams.

The investigation stated that Hugh Logan Plant and Engineering Services Ltd failed to:

• Make a sufficient assessment of the risks to employees involved in the delivery and unloading of steel

• Provide necessary information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure the safety of workers delivering and unloading steel

• Liaise with Falburn Engineering Ltd to ensure a safe system of work for unloading steel was in place and that the driver's role had been agreed.

While Falburn Engineering Ltd had failed to:

• Make a sufficient assessment of the risks to visiting workers during unloading of steel

• Liaise with Hugh Logan Plant and Engineering Services Ltd to ensure a safe system of work for unloading steel was in place and that the driver's role had been agreed.

Hugh Logan Plant and Engineering Services Ltd, of Whistleberry Industrial Estate, Whistleberry Road, Hamilton, was fined £16,000 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety At Work etc Act 1974.

Falburn Engineering Ltd, of Unit 1, Plean Industrial Estate, Plean, Stirling, was fined £10,000 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 3 of the same Act.

(JP/IT)