A Manchester table tennis table manufacturer has been fined after an employee’s legs were crushed when four one-ton concrete tables toppled over.

Following the incident which occurred on the 20 February 2015, the employee spent 10 weeks in hospital and has been unable to return to work since.

Trafford Magistrates’ Court heard that the worker was attempting, using an overhead crane, to move a concrete table tennis table towards a stack of four other tables which were balanced on two half-empty resin barrels. As he lowered the table, the barrels – which were not designed to take any loads – collapsed, causing the tables to slide off.

These were large heavy loads being balanced on metal drums which were clearly not suitable for the task; yet management hadn’t provided any suitable alternatives. It was an accident waiting to happen and the unfortunate worker who was standing next to the stacked tables, was trapped between the tables and the crane stanchion. Other employees managed to move the tables and free the man who was then taken by air ambulance to Wythenshawe Hospital.

Bendcrete Leisure Ltd was prosecuted by the HSE after its investigation found the work had not been planned, supervised or carried out safely. The company, of Stalybridge, was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £3,495 costs after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.