A man was killed after a cherry picker he was working in which had not been stabilised correctly overturned - 31st March 2010

A company and its director have been fined following an accident in which a worker fell to his death from Manchester’s Albert Memorial statue.

Taylor Electronics and director John Taylor were fined a total of £12,000 at Manchester Crown Court after pleading guilty to breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The man’s fatal accident at work occurred when a cherry picker overturned as Ian Gutteridge was fitting a giant necklace to the statue.

He suffered head and chest injuries in the fall and died the next day in hospital.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that the cherry picker had not been properly stabilised before being used.

Taylor Electronics had agreed to fit the necklace to the statue to promote a jewellery exhibition in Manchester Town Hall.

HSE Inspector Sandra Tomlinson said: “Taylor Electronics agreed to carry out an unusual job to help publicise the jewellery exhibition, but it then took unacceptable risks to achieve it. Mr Gutteridge would still be alive today if the correct safety procedures had been followed."

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