Gondola Accident Sees Company and Employee Fined
Back in July 2006 five people were enjoying a scenic gondola ride in the Scottish highlands, Aonach Mor area when disaster struck. The gondola fell away from the cable and dropped 25 feet onto another gondola car passing below.
According to the health and safety executive it was nothing short of a miracle that no one was killed in the incident. They made their comments on Monday at the Fort William Sheriff Court, where the judge was hearing the case against Nevis Range Development Company operators of the gondola ride.
The company and one employee had been summoned to court to answer charges that they had violated serious stipulations in the Health and Safety at Work Act. As a result the employee Kevin Byrne received a £1000 fine return for a guilty plea. In addition the company received a £2000 fine when they also entered a plea of guilty.
One of the family of five a Mr. Koen who was on holiday from northern Ireland suffered a punctured lung, another rider in the gondola’s, Craig Harris, received back injuries and a fractured cheekbone that kept him from work for several months. His three-year-old daughter suffered a broken leg, and his wife received serious leg injuries from which she may never recover.
Employers need to cover themselves against the actions of their workers by being fully up-to-date with the latest health and safety regulations with regard to their particular type of business. Workplace Law offers training facilities for all kinds of work environments. Find out more about their NEBOSH General Certificate course that is highly respected throughout the UK.
