Impact of falling furniture results in tragic death of child

As widely reported in the press recently a 10-year-old boy has died after a piece of furniture fell on him in a Topshop store, at the Oracle Shopping Centre in Reading. The boy, suffered severe head injuries with unconfirmed reports suggested he had pulled a barrier down and it crashed on his head inside the store.

Reading Borough Council said its health and safety officers have been working with police on the investigation.

Similar such accidents can easily occur within the vast CSC hospitality and leisure client base. However, with our pragmatic approach, your business can be kept safe by implementing the following health and safety fundamentals:

• Suitable risk assessments need to be put in place for the safe movement and fittings of furniture. Tasks such as carrying of table, chairs and other restaurant equipment must be included in the list of activity to be risk assessed.
• All hazards associated with the task need to be identified, i.e. manual handling and falling of unsecured furniture and fixtures.
• All persons affected by the task need to be identified which would include staff, contractors and anyone else in the vicinity.
• It is imperative that pre-opening safety checks are conducted to ensure that fixtures and furniture are secured to prevent possible accidents. Any defects noted must be addressed as soon as possible.
• Additional controls such as training of staff on manual handling procedures and the use of mechanical aids to lift equipment (if applicable) also need to be put in place.

CSC are here to help you put the necessary control measures in place to ensure that your business and staff are kept safe.

Contact us for advice anytime.

Source:

http://www.shponline.co.uk/breaking-ten-year-old-dies-after-furniture-falls-on-him-in-topshop/