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A kitchen and bedroom furniture manufacturer from Corby has been fined for failing to insure the company against liability for employee injury or disease.
When the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited the company premises on 2 March 2011, the company was unable to produce on request a certificate of Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance (ELCI), which employers are required to hold by law.
Corby magistrates heard that despite letters, and issuing a formal Notice to Produce the ELCI document, the company did not provide evidence of a certificate. HSE visited the company for a second time on 8 June, and again it was unable to produce a certificate. The company, pleaded guilty to contravening Section 1(1) of the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 and was fined £2,000 with £1,567 in costs.
Following the hearing, inspector Sally Harris said:
"Employers are responsible for the health and safety of their employees when they are at work. While the law expects active steps to be taken to protect workers, if an employee does suffer harm then Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance ensures that any justifiable civil claim by an employee can be met."
Section 1 of the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 states: "Every employer carrying on any business in Great Britain shall insure, and maintain insurance, under one or more approved policies with an authorised insurer or insurers against liability for bodily injury or disease sustained by his employees, and arising out of and in the course of their employment in Great Britain in that business, but except in so far as regulations otherwise provide not including injury or disease suffered or contracted outside Great Britain."
