HSE

London Container Terminal (Tilbury) Limited (LCT) has been fined after a worker was seriously injured when the ‘straddle’ carrier he was driving overturned at Tilbury Docks in November 2014.

Basildon Crown Court heard that on 16 November 2014 a worker inadvertently drove his straddle carrier into a large excavation at the docks.The court was told that looking down from his cab, the driver did not see the road cones, small flashing lights or the ticker tape around the excavation because it was dark and the weather conditions were poor.

The straddle carrier, a vehicle used in the port terminal for stacking and moving freight shipping containers, toppled over. The worker suffered life changing injuries, his head wound required 29 staples to close and he continues to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the precautions taken by LCT were wholly inadequate to prevent the vehicle from being able to enter the excavation. The court heard that all of the straddle carrier drivers working in the vicinity of the excavation had been exposed to the risk for several days during the course of the excavation works.

London Container Terminal Limited of Northfleet Hope House, Tilbury Docks, Tilbury pleaded guilty to breaching sections 2(1) and 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and have been fined £180,000 and ordered to pay costs of £73,296. London Container Terminal ceased trading in December the fine will be paid by the Port of Tilbury (London) Limited.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Nicola Jaynes said: “This was a serious incident and that could have been much worse. This was preventable if LCT had the correct safety precautions in place.  This case serves as a reminder that suitable precautions are required to protect both pedestrians and vehicles from entering excavations.”

Further information on how to reduce the risks involved with workplace transport can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/index.htm

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. hse.gov.uk^[1]
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/ ^[2]
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

A polythene film manufacturer was sentenced for safety breaches after a worker trapped his hand in machinery.

Huddersfield Magistrates’ Court heard how the injured person broke the little finger on his right hand while operating machinery in March 2014 at Total Polyfilm Ltd.’s Brighouse plant.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company failed to adequately manage the risk of workers being injured when operating machinery. Also it was found the workers failed to operate in the correct way of working when using this equipment.

Total Polyfilm Ltd of Walton Summit Estate, Bamber Bridge, Preston, Lancashire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and have been fined £6,000 and ordered to pay costs of £697.

After the hearing HSE inspector Jacqueline Ferguson commented: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.

“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.” 

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. hse.gov.uk^[1]
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/ ^[2]
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

A Swinton transport company and a director were in court today following the death of an HGV company owner at their Sandywood Industrial Estate.

Daniel Adams, 63, of Farnworth, rented a unit on the industrial estate owned by Alec Sharples Farm Supplies and Transport Limited where the fatal incident occurred on the 7 May 2014.

Manchester Crown Court heard how Mr Adams had been working on one of his own lorries when an HGV owned by Alec Sharples reversed into Mr Adam’s section of the yard.

The HGV driver spoke with Mr Adams. However, when the conversation was over the HGV driver reversed his truck, inadvertently crushing Mr Adam’s between the two vehicles. Daniel Adams was taken to Salford Royal Hospital where he died of internal injuries two days later.

The incident was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which prosecuted Alec Sharples Farm Supplies and Transport Limited for serious safety failings in the organisation and operation of the site.

The HSE investigation found the firm had failed to implement a safe system of work for reversing HGV’s and training drivers. There was no segregation of pedestrians and HGV’s or any banksmen provided.

Alec Sharples Farm Supplies and Transport Ltd of Roscow Road, Kearsley, Bolton pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay costs of £14,000.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Ian Betley said: “This was a tragic and wholly avoidable incident, caused by the failure of the host company to implement safe systems of work, and failure to ensure that health and safety documentation was communicated and followed.

“This risk was further amplified by the company’s failure to undertake a number of simple safety measures including segregating vehicles and pedestrians, ensuring that vehicles were fitted with reversing ‘bleepers’, and ensuring that reversing manoeuvres were supervised, in accordance with their site rules.

Information on workplace transport is available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg138.pdf

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training, new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/
3. Further HSE news releases are available at press.hse.gov.uk