A funeral parlour worker who blew the whistle on his employer, was sacked after chucking a health and safety manual at his boss, a court has heard.

The Gore Brothers employee hurled the item at one of his superiors after twisting his knee on a loose tile - one of 23 accidents at the firm in the space of three years.

The same worker had earlier injured his knee while moving the body of an overweight man.

Details were revealed in front of Folkestone magistrates on Monday, as the 190-year-old firm pleaded guilty to failing to discharge its general health, safety and welfare duties to employees.

The accusation was levelled at the business after a Thanet District Council (TDC) officer visited its Margate branch last July in the wake of complaints to the authority from two members of staff.

Jasraj Sanghera, prosecuting, told the hearing: “The premises displayed widespread non-compliance. There had been some 23 accidents in the past three years.

“There was a risk to a significant number of workers. The vast majority were handling accidents and the officer said it was because of a lack of training.

“There were systems in place but ones that weren’t safely adhered to or implemented.

“It’s the officer’s view that there was some cost-cutting at the expense of safety.”

The business, which was established in 1831, was served with eight health and safety notices by the local authority after the inspection.

But, according to defence barrister Ian Bond, it quickly complied with the orders, before being reinspected three months later.

“Gore Brothers complied with the improvement notices, took on consultants and had a reinspection,” he added.

"It’s the officer’s view that there was some cost-cutting at the expense of safety..."

“Months and months go by and they receive a letter summoning them to court.

“The directors are disgruntled, upset and disappointed. They went through the hoops set by the council.

“This is not a company that doesn’t have a health and safety regime.”

Mr Bond, who was representing director Michael Gore and his brother Phillip, argued the firm had not been cost cutting – instead claiming “training has taken place, but it has failed to tick the appropriate boxes”.

He pointed to the business’s recent £40,000 upgrade to its premises in Thanet Road, Margate, as well as its appointment of health and safety specialists for £580 a month.

“The Thanet council inspection was born out of whistleblowing from two members of staff,” Mr Bond continued.

“One had injured his knee after moving a very heavy man’s body at a hospital. To suggest he was untrained, having worked there for four years, is ludicrous.

“The same employee said he had twisted his knee on a loose tile and threw the company’s health and safety manual at Mr Gore and was dismissed.

“Lots of the employees are involved in lifting work and when you lift heavy objects there’s a chance you may strain something.”

Following the visit, the council officer also inspected the Gore Brothers’ sites in Westgate and Birchington, which were found to be compliant.

Magistrates fined Gore Brothers £4,000 and ordered the firm to pay a further £2,040 to cover a surcharge and costs.

Just before the hearing, Thanet council dropped three other charges relating to health and safety that had been levelled against the business following the inspection.

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