Warehouse boss ignored council's pleas after refusing to accept workers were in 'serious' danger - it was a bad decision

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A Salford warehouse selling items online has been fined £40,000 after a court found the business was putting workers in danger.

B2C Retail, situated at Invar Business Park on Invar Road in Swinton, sells a wide range of items online through Amazon and is run by B2C Retail Limited, of which Mr Michal Kempiak serves as the company’s sole director.

Mr Kempiak appeared at Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court on Thursday (July 28) to plead guilty on behalf of the company to four offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. He was taken to court and handed the huge fine after initially refusing to admit the company had done anything wrong and ignoring the council's request for an interview.

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But magistrates heard that the four safety failures were identified after an environmental health officer from Salford City Council visited the company's warehouse, which employs around 12 staff members, for a hygiene inspection on April 28, 2021. The inspection was only triggered after the company applied to sell food.

The court heard the inspector expressed concern for a disregard for health and safety at the premises, with broken pallets leaning on racking, the floor cluttered with trip hazards and combustible material on the floor near a battery charging area for a forklift truck.

Palletised stock at height was also found not to be shrink wrapped, with stock taken from lower levels making loads unstable and causing risks of objects falling from a height.

During the inspection, the court was told that a member of staff was witnessed stepping onto a pallet and climbing the racking to reach an item on a second shelf, putting them in