Store has to pay £15,000

10:15am Friday 14th September 2007

Store has to pay £15,000 A HEREFORD store has to pay nearly £15,000 in fines and costs over health and safety breaches at its site.

Countrywide Farmers Plc admitted two charges brought under the health and safety act at Hereford Magistrates Court this week.

The court heard that the breaches were identified after a customer died in a collision with a delivery van in front of the store last year. At an inquest earlier this year a jury found that the death of 88-year-old Eric Staite was accidental but added that health and safety was "not a priority" with the company at the time.

On Monday, the court was told that it was common practice for vehicles to reverse along the front of the store, crossing pedestrian routes to the exit and entrance. The company was aware of the risks associated with workplace transport but had not introduce adequate procedures to ensure that these risks were controlled, the court heard.

Magistrates were told that the company had since introduced satisfactory on-site safety procedures with a one-way system in the car park to reduce reversing.

Countrywide Farmers was fined £5,000 on each of the two charges and ordered to pay £4,649 in costs.

Speaking after the case, Andrew Tector, head of environmental health for Herefordshire Council, said the case showed the importance of "properly managing" transport safety in the workplace and represented a reminder to other businesses to check their procedures.