NEWS
Cleaner Breaks Leg After Machine Malfunction
Two firms have been prosecuted after a worker suffered a broken leg when he deliberately steered his ride-on scrubber dryer into a balustrade when the brakes failed in order to avoid hitting pedestrians in Stansted airport.
As the machine came to a halt, passengers rushed to the worker’s aid and helped to free his trapped legs. Carl Marshall, 28, of Little Dunmow, Essex, suffered a broken right thigh, sprained right knee and two sprained ankles, requiring four days’ treatment in hospital. He has since returned to work.
The incident, on 2nd July 2013, was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which prosecuted Mr Marshall’s employer, ISS Facility Services Ltd, and the maintenance contractor Michael Laryea, trading as Lamick Floor Machines.
HSE’s investigation found that the scrubber dryer machine had a worn and ineffective brake that had been poorly maintained. A second machine was also found to have similar defects.
Buy Cheap, Pay Twice!
The WoolSafe Organisation has issued a warning that those who try and save money by hiring ‘cut price cleaners’ could be left with poor results.
This follows an increase in the number of calls that the organisation have been receiving from customers who have employed cheaper cleaners and have been left “at best, with cleaning results they were disappointed with and at worst, with destroyed carpets.”
In a statement, they say that while some may be enticed by low cleaning rates, they warn that those who quote such low prices can do so because “certain cleaning processes are invariably cut short or not carried out at all,” adding that
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“cheap cleaners are actually a false economy, the old adage ‘buy cheap, pay twice’ comes to mind.”
They also add that, because of their low prices, some of these budget cleaners may not be able to provide adequate training for their employees. They said: “Cut price cleaning companies rarely have the resources to invest in professional training for their technicians, leading to potential problems being overlooked, and technicians working without the knowledge of cleaning chemistry necessary for safe and effective cleaning of all the different fibres in the market today.”
However, they did provide some advice for those looking to find a good
cleaner. They said: “Check that they are properly trained by a recognised organisation, association, franchise or quality product manufacturer. Make sure they are members of a reputable industry body such as the National Carpet Cleaners Association (NCCA) or the WoolSafe Organisation, then you can also rest assured that they have full insurance and follow a code of practice.
“If you have natural fibre carpet then using a WoolSafe Approved Service Provider is the best option. It not only ensures that your comfortable floor covering is being looked after by a natural fibre care specialist, but also that only products that have been tested and certified as safe and effective for your carpet are being used on them.”
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ISS Facility Services Limited was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay £5,490 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
Michael Laryea, trading as Lamick Floor Machines was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £5,490 in costs after also pleading guilty to the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
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