Bury council fined £200k after worker injured while installing town’s Xmas tree

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council has been fined £200,000 after a man was injured while installing the town’s Christmas tree.

Council employee, James Lyth, was using a scissor lift to straighten the 20-foot tall Christmas tree when it toppled over with him still in the basket.

The tree was being installed by an external company at Bury Market on November 21, 2022, in time for the town’s annual festivities at the Christmas shopping destination.

The 32-year-old operations manager suffered concussion and severe injuries to his right-hand side, including bruising to his ribs.

He needed an operation to his leg and was left using a wheelchair and crutches after sustaining a large cut to his leg.

Mr Lyth was off work for two months and was subsequently only able to return on restricted hours and duties as he continued his recovery.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Bury Metropolitan Borough Council had failed to provide Mr Lyth with any training in the safe operation of the scissor lift and had failed to carry out a sufficient risk assessment for this work activity.

The investigation also found that a suitable risk assessment of the work would have identified the dangers involved and the need to restrict the use of scissor lifts to those with appropriate training.

Bury Metropolitan Borough Council pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The organisation was fined £200,000 and was ordered to pay costs at a hearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on April 2, 2025.

HSE inspector Leanne Ratcliffe said: “This was a very serious incident.

“It is important for industry to understand the importance of a risk assessment and training when using elevated platforms.

“Access to these platforms should be limited to those trained and anyone who isn’t trained shouldn’t be allowed to use them.”

She added: “If this sort of work is not planned and controlled to a high degree, then there is a very high likelihood of a potentially fatal fall, or one resulting in very serious injury.”

The prosecutions were supported by HSE enforcement lawyer Julian White and paralegal officer Hannah Snelling.