Manchester Galvanizing, of Green Lane, Heywood, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to a breach of Regulation 4 (1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
It was fined £6,000 with costs of £1,248.
Trafford Magistrates' Court heard the employee was working in the galvanising area when a metal post fell from the jig of an overhead crane and into a dryer.
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The worker used a wooden ladder in an attempt to retrieve the post but the ladder broke causing him to fall three metres into the bottom of the dryer pit.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company had failed to ensure that work at height was properly planned, supervised or carried out in a safe manner.
HSE Inspector Emily Osborne said: "The employee in this case was lucky that he wasn’t more seriously hurt. It is essential that companies ensure work at height is properly planned, organised and supervised in order to avoid this type of incident."
(LM)
