BA fined £230,000 after Engineer injured.

[NutLoose]

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/w...after-25952886

Iain Mawson was placed in an induced coma for three weeks after sustaining skull fractures and a brain haemorrhage. The engineer also suffered fractures to his ribs, shoulder blade, spine, and collar bone.

A maintenance firm owned by British Airways has been fined £230,000 after an employee suffered a severe brain injury near Cardiff Airport. Engineer Iain Mawson entered a three-week coma after falling two metres while working on a Boeing 747 at a maintenance centre.

The company pleaded guilty to a criminal health and safety offence over the accident which happened in November 2019 at its British Airways Maintenance Cardiff (BAMC) site. A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive said Mr Mawson, 52, was inspecting a plane's wings when he "fell through a gap in the guard-rail of the docking platform where safety barriers had been removed".

He added that Mr Mawson was placed in an induced coma for three weeks after sustaining "numerous" skull fractures and a brain haemorrhage. The engineer also suffered fractures to his ribs, shoulder blade, spine, and collar bone. He has not been able to return to work since because of the severity of the injuries.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that BAMC had failed to "adequately analyse the risks and avoid removal of guard-rail safety barriers or ensure safety barriers were replaced". The subsidiary of British Airways was sentenced last Friday at Cardiff Magistrates' Court after admitting it failed to ensure the health and safety of Mr Mawson. The company was ordered to pay a fine of £230,000 and prosecution costs of £21,623.

Mr Mawson is being represented by Thompsons Solicitors in a civil claim for compensation. Lisa Gunner, a lawyer at the firm, said her client experienced a "severe traumatic brain injury". She added: "Despite his positive attitude to his recovery it will have a long-term impact on both him and his family. We will continue to support Mr Mawson as he attempts to recover from this life-changing injury.”

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector Sara Lumley said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards."

BAMC is a major aircraft maintenance centre which carries out heavy maintenance on all of British Airways' Boeing long-haul planes. A spokesman for the company said: "Safety is always our highest priority and we deeply regret that, despite the processes we had in place, this incident was able to occur. We've worked hard to learn from this experience and have implemented further improvements to our safety measures and procedures."

[tubby linton]

That is a lot of injuries to accumulate falling six feet six inches, is the report correct?

[Litebulbs]

Originally Posted by tubby linton

That is a lot of injuries to accumulate falling six feet six inches, is the report correct?

It must be, a guilty plea was submitted.

[Auxtank]

Originally Posted by tubby linton

That is a lot of injuries to accumulate falling six feet six inches, is the report correct?

not necessarily if he fell off backwards.

[Krystal n chips]

Originally Posted by tubby linton

That is a lot of injuries to accumulate falling six feet six inches, is the report correct?

It may seem that way given the distance he fell, however, it's worth remembering we don't know what position he was in when he fell, and six feet isn't very far for reaction time to try and land safely, plus, what he may have contacted on the hangar floor....ground equip / tool boxes or anything you would reasonably expect to find in the vicinity of an aircraft undergoing maintenance.

[DaveReidUK]

Originally Posted by tubby linton

That is a lot of injuries to accumulate falling six feet six inches, is the report correct?

HSE press release: Fine for BA subsidiary after father of two left in coma following fall at work

There's no reference in it to how far the poor chap fell, but "while inspecting wings" (on a 747) sounds like it could well have been rather higher.

[tubby linton]

That is exactly what I was thinking.A fall from the wing area of a wide body is going to be a considerable drop unless the area he fell into was contaminated with some very hard items . Best wishes to the chap for a speedy recovery.

[Uplinker]

Even if a person falls from "only" a 2m high platform because a guard rail is absent, they are not expecting to fall and will not be prepared for it at all. They will not have any warning or time to use their arms etc, to break their fall. If the fall is onto tarmac or concrete, head first with no warning, that will be extremely serious.

I hope the guy fully recovers, and a mental note to us all to take extra care and follow safety procedures - Safety First !

I don't know the circumstances here, but in hangars there are safety straps hanging from the roof for engineers working on the top of wings or the fuselage to clip on to. And I have seen in new houses being built that they cover the ground floor with air bags when the first floor structure is being put in, in case anyone falls from it. Not practical in aircraft maintenance, hence the roof straps. However, if the maintenance is being performed outside........

[Airbanda]

Originally Posted by tubby linton

That is a lot of injuries to accumulate falling six feet six inches, is the report correct?

People have died of head injuries by falling badly from standing onto a kerb or solid floor.

Sort of thing that can turn a simple assault/bodily harm into manslaughter.

[Krystal n chips]

Originally Posted by Uplinker

Even if a person falls from "only" a 2m high platform because a guard rail is absent, they are not expecting to fall and will not be prepared for it at all. They will not have any warning or time to use their arms etc, to break their fall. If the fall is onto tarmac or concrete, head first with no warning, that will be extremely serious.

I hope the guy fully recovers, and a mental note to us all to take extra care and follow safety procedures - Safety First !

I don't know the circumstances here, but in hangars there are safety straps hanging from the roof for engineers working on the top of wings or the fuselage to clip on to. And I have seen in new houses being built that they cover the ground floor with air bags when the first floor structure is being put in, in case anyone falls from it. Not practical in aircraft maintenance, hence the roof straps. However, if the maintenance is being performed outside........

They aren't straps, they are inertia safety reels and work on the same principle as a seat belt.

Crash mats are routinely used at Odiham surrounding Chinooks...and I can assure you, they are quite reassuring to see walking along the top of one....what parts of a Chinook structure you encounter on the way down however is an entirely different matter .