A Welsh recycling company has been fined £300,000 after a father-of-two was killed by a shovel loader.
The man lost his life on 4 September 2019 when he was run over from behind by a Volvo shovel loader at Atlantic Recycling Limited's Atlantic Ecopark site in Cardiff.
The 59-year-old had been on his way to undertake routine maintenance tasks when the tragic incident happened while walking across the wood processing yard.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector Rhys Hughes said Atlantic Recycling failed to ensure pedestrians and vehicles were separated at its site.
The HSE investigation also found that although a risk assessment had been produced prior to the work commencing, it was not suitable or sufficient, and did not include work taking place in the wood yard. Additionally, the risk assessment should have identified there was a risk to pedestrians where there were moving vehicles.
Every workplace must be made safe for the people, and traffic routes must be suitable for the people and vehicles using them.
Atlantic Recycling Limited pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, was fined £300,000 and ordered to pay £29,917.47 in costs.
Hughes said: "This tragic incident led to the death of a father of two and could have been prevented. Atlantic Recycling Ltd should have identified, and controlled the risks involved with using large plant and vehicles in line with HSE guidance".
"A safe system of work should have been in place, ensuring that pedestrians and vehicles were segregated. This is sadly a common cause of fatal incidents in this sector. The most effective way of protecting pedestrians in any workplace is to make transport routes entirely separate".
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