British Airways fined millions after luggage handler breaks back at Heathrow Airport

Another suffered a bleed on the brain

British Airways has been handed a £3.2 million fine following two separate incidents at Heathrow Airport where luggage handlers suffered serious injuries after falling from height.

A court heard how two employees were hurt in similar circumstances just months apart.

The incidents, which occurred at Heathrow, involved baggage handlers using loading equipment that lacked adequate protection, notably edge guard rails, London’s Southwark Crown Court heard.

In one instance, a worker suffered a bleed on the brain. In the other, an employee sustained a broken back.

Ravinder Teji, a ground operation agent who had been with the company for seven years, suffered back injuries and cut his head after falling 1.5 metres to the ground from a televator on August 25 2022; while Shahjahan Malik was “seriously injured” with a bleed on the brain after plunging 3.0m as he used TLD elevator on March 8 2023.

Undated handout photo issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) of luggage loading equipment at Heathrow Airport (Health and Safety Executive (HSE) /PA Wire)

Televators and TLD elevators are machines that are used to load baggage containers into aircraft holds. Operators can be between 1.5m and 3.0 metres above ground level while they are in use.

British Airways PLC previously pleaded guilty to two breaches of Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 in the criminal prosecution brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

BA was accused of failing to ensure suitable and sufficient measures were taken to protect employees.

This included those working at height who face a risk of falling a distance and being injured while using ground service equipment such as televators, for the loading and offloading of baggage from aircraft.

Judge Brendan Finucane KC said, “I am satisfied that in both incidents the culpability was high” as he fined BA £3,208,333 and also ordered it to pay £20,935 in costs and a £120 victim surcharge.