And they say they care about folks, and this happens ?

06/2007 15:08
Health and Safety Executive (North East)
(HSE) Northumberland County Council, Northumberland Care Trust and recycling firm fined after man loses leg
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has today warned all those responsible for the care of vulnerable people to ensure they are not put at risk when taking part in work-related activities or training.
The warning comes after Northumberland County Council, Northumberland Care Trust and a recycling company were all fined for their parts in an incident in 2005 which left a man with learning difficulties having his leg amputated.
The Council was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,000 after pleading guilty to beaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSW Act). The Care Trust were fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,000 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the HSW Act and South East Northumberland Recycling Ltd (SENREC) were fined £10,000and ordered to pay costs of £4,000 after also pleading guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the HSW Act at Bedlington Magistrates' Court.
HSE Inspector Martin Baillie said, "The injured man, Mr Simon Nelson, aged 38 at the time of the incident had learning difficulties and was a service user of the Horticultural Unit at Hepscott Park, Northumberland. The Unit was run by Northumberland County Council Social Services Directorate, and external management services, including administration of the budget, was carried out by Northumberland Care Trust. SENREC is a recycling company based at West Sleekburn, Northumberland.
"The HSE encourages sensible risk management. However, it cannot condone activities where vulnerable people are exposed to an unacceptable level of risk.
Mr Baillie explained the background to the case: "On a weekly basis a Day Centre Officer from Hepscott Park would take a transit van and collect recyclable material from around Hepscott Park and take it to SENREC, along with up to four other service users depending on the seating capacity of the van. Simon Nelson was a regular on these trips, which had been going on for a number of years.
"On 3 February 2005 while undertaking a regular trip to the SENREC plant at West Sleekburn with Melvin Robson, a Day Care Officer, Simon Nelson was struck by one or two falling recycled paper bales weighing around 800 kgs. He suffered two cracked vertebrae, damage to his right eye and later had his right leg amputated."