A logistics company has been fined £1 million after an employee fell over 10 metres, sustaining severe injuries.
On September 20, 2022, Christopher Hooper, 31, from Winchester, suffered fractures to his skull, back, pelvis, arm, wrist, and ankle after falling 11 metres at the DP World Southampton terminal. He fell through an open hole in the driver’s cab of a straddle carrier, landing on the concrete floor below.
The hole, left exposed by contractors replacing a glass floor, posed a serious risk to Mr. Hooper and other workers.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors found that Southampton Container Terminals Limited, trading as DP World Southampton, had failed to ensure a safe system of work at their Western Avenue site. Mr. Hooper, who had worked for the company since he was 17, was performing routine maintenance work and was unaware of the open hole before his fall.
The HSE investigation revealed that Southampton Container Terminals Limited did not establish a safe system of work that could accommodate both the glass floor replacement and routine maintenance simultaneously. Furthermore, the company lacked a proper risk assessment and failed to enforce its own policy requiring permits for working at height.
In a victim personal statement, Mr. Hooper, who was 29 at the time of the incident, shared: “I feel like a puppet in my life, being moved from therapy to therapy with no control over where I am going. It feels like my life is in a waiting room. Early on, after leaving the hospital, I had closer milestones that felt achievable, but now no one can tell me what I can do next. This uncertainty is deeply affecting my day-to-day life as I don’t know what the future holds.”
Southampton Container Terminals Limited, based on Palace Street, Westminster, London, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. On August 2, 2024, at Southampton Magistrates’ Court, the company was fined £1 million and ordered to pay £11,664.59 in costs.
HSE inspector Francesca Arnold commented: “This incident resulted in severe life-changing injuries for Mr. Hooper, who is fortunate to be alive. His life has been irrevocably altered due to Southampton Container Terminals Limited’s failure to conduct a proper risk assessment and implement straightforward control measures.
“The dangers of working at height are well-known and documented. This prosecution serves as a reminder to employers that neglecting to manage and enforce effective safety measures can have serious consequences, and they will be held accountable. Information on working at height safely is readily available on HSE’s website.”
The prosecution was led by HSE enforcement lawyer Andy Siddall and supported by HSE paralegal officer Rebecca Withell.
