Berkshire EA fined £16k after worker laid low for a year

Berkshire Environment Agency (EA) has today (Thursday) been fined a total of £16,000 at Reading Magistrates' Court after a worker was forced off work for a year with a serious knee injury.

EA employee Anthony Watkins was working at Sulhampstead Stream, Padworth on the Englefield Estate near Reading, Berkshire in April 2002 as part of a five man team removing trees from branches.

Watkins was cutting a large branch when it split from the tree and struck his knee. Although he was prevented from falling by his safety harness, Watkins still had to be air lifted to hospital and as a result was unable to return to work for over a year.

The EA was fined £4,000 after pleading guilty to one breach of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and £12,000 for breaking one section of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It also ordered to pay costs of £4,739.