A PUB firm has been hit with a £100,000 fine after an employee broke their fingers when a cellar door flung back onto their hand.

The staff member was preparing to unload a drinks delivery at Slug and Lettuce in Colchester High Street when the open but unsecured hatch fell back onto their hand.

An accident report was filed after the incident in October 2017 which led to an investigation by Colchester Council’s health and safety officer.

When they visited, it was discovered gas struts originally installed to enable the safe opening and closure of the hatch door had been removed more than a year earlier.

Neither these nor an alternative method to prevent the doors from falling back once opened had been replaced.

The investigation also found that the company did not have suitable and sufficient risk assessments in place regarding the safe delivery of goods at the premises.

In addition, the cellar hatch was not adequately guarded when open to prevent people from falling down the 2.38m cellar shaft.

Since then, bosses at Stonegate Pub Company have worked with the authority to ensure all health and safety risk assessments are in place and are followed.

But the council prosecuted the firm for health and safety breaches.

Gazette:

Problem - the hatch at the Slug and Lettuce

At Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court, Judge John Woollard fined the firm £100,000 and ordered them to pay costs of £3,792.28. They must also pay a £170 victim surcharge.

The council’s community boss Tina Bourne (Lab) said: "Our role is to protect everyone in the workplace by ensuring that premises are maintained in good working order.

“Risk assessments must be fit for purpose and safe systems of work adhered to.

“We are very satisfied with the outcome of this case and I would urge all workplaces across the borough to ensure that their employees are protected from harm by following the appropriate health and safety guidelines.”