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Woman crushed to death after health and safety failings

Health and safety breaches at a City of London gym caused a Polish-born woman to be crushed to death.

Broadgate Health Club pleaded guilty to charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act yesterday (December 16th 2009), with the trial set to take place on March 8th 2010, BBC News reported.

Katarzyna Woja, a banker, was killed after stepping out of a lift at the site, only for it to fall a few feet, leaving it stopped between levels.

This caused her to be dragged between a wall and the lift, Southwark Crown Court was told.

The owners of the gym, Holmes Place Health Clubs, admitted that it had allowed the lift to be used in an unsafe condition and that its staff were not sufficiently trained in how to safely release trapped lift users.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, it prosecuted 59 offences in London between 2008 and 2009, while local authorities charged a further 35.

Quantum Risk Management are a leading Health and Safety Consultancy

Posted on 17/12/2009

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