The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has today informed two companies they face prosecution following an incident at the Pembroke Refinery on 2 June 2011, which resulted in the deaths of four people and serious injuries to another.

Valero Energy UK Limited and B & A Contracts Limited are to face charges under Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The charges relate to the deaths of Dennis Riley, Robert Broome, Andrew Jenkins and Julie Jones and major injuries to Andrew Phillips who were all working on the Amine Recovery Unit when an explosion and subsequent fire took place.

At the time of the incident the refinery was operated by Chevron Limited, but ownership changed in August 2011.

The defendants are due to appear at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on 24 September 2018 at 2pm.

HSE’s deputy director field operations, Jane Lassey, said: “Following a painstaking and extremely thorough investigation, much of which was conducted jointly with Dyfed Powys Police, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges.”

Notes to Editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk
4. Now that criminal proceedings have commenced your attention is drawn to the fact that the provisions of the Contempt of Court Act apply to this matter. You will understand that it is not appropriate for HSE to give media interviews until court proceedings are concluded.
5. The Code for Crown Prosecutors sets out the principles for prosecutors to follow when they make enforcement decisions. HSE’s approach to prosecutions is set out in its enforcement policy statement.

A manufacturing firm in Worcestershire has been fined after a worker suffered crush injuries when wooden panels fell onto him.

Worcester Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 8 April 2017, a Global Displays Limited employee was injured when a stack of panels toppled over and crushed him. Several smaller panels were resting against untied, upright 4m x 1m panels, causing the whole stack to become unstable. The worker suffered a dislocated shoulder and fractured arm as a result.

 An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident found the company had failed to identify the risks from storing timber boards close to work benches and a thoroughfare used by employees. The company had not provided a safe place for the boards to be stored so they would not fall over.

Global Displays Limited, Global House, George Baylis Road, Droitwich, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £14,000 and ordered to pay costs of £ 1,179.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Alastair Mitchell said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out a risk assessment in relation to the storage of display panel boards. This would have identified the risks from unsafe stacking and the need for appropriate control measures, such as a method for storing boards safely.

“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. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

A contractor, client and director have been convicted after conditions at a building site were found to be dangerous.

Southwark Crown Court heard that inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited the construction site on Gladesmore Road, London on numerous occasions in 2015 while building work was taking place at the property.

Inspectors found poor health and safety conditions on site including dangerous work at height, unshored excavations, and poor welfare facilities. This resulted in numerous prohibition notices, improvement notices and notifications of contravention being served on the contractor and client.

A HSE investigation found that the contractor, Mr Bodnariu, failed to plan, manage and monitor the work on site. The client company WEL Estates Limited failed to make suitable arrangements for managing a project, and the director of WEL Estates Limited, Mr Yoel Lew, had allowed the poor conditions on site.

Mr Bodnariu pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 15(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, and was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, 250 hours of community service, and ordered to pay costs of £1,000.

WEL Estates Limited was found guilty of breaching Regulations 4(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, and was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,000.

Mr Yoel Lew was found guilty of breaching Section 37(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and sentenced to 200 hours of Community Service.

Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector Sarah Robinson said: “Dutyholders 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. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has informed Celsa Manufacturing (UK) Ltd that it will be prosecuted following the explosion at Celsa steelworks, Splott, Cardiff on 18 November 2015.

The explosion resulted in the deaths of Mr Mark Sim and Mr Peter O’Brien, engineers at the company’s Rod and Bar Mill, and injured other workers.

The families of Mark Sim and Peter O’Brien have been informed that Celsa Manufacturing (UK) Ltd will be prosecuted.

Celsa Manufacturing (UK) Ltd is due to appear at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on 11 September 2018 to face a charge under Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Notes to Editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk