Fife Council has been fined £24,000 after pleading guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. This fine comes after workers struck and ruptured an underground gas pipe, which then released nearly four tonnes of gas. As a result of the incident, homes, businesses and a primary school had to be evacuated in Dunfermline in June 2010.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard that drainage works were being carried out at a Council depot by the Council's employees. The unsupervised employees decided to excavate a new trench but were not aware that a decision had been taken the day before the incident not to dig in that area.
Whilst using power tools and a mechanical digger, the workers uncovered whinstone dust, which is an indicator that there is a gas or water pipe close by. The workers, however, continued to dig until the digger struck and ruptured a gas valve. The incident was reported and the area immediately evacuated.
A subsequent investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that the Council failed to assess the risks to members of the public, failed to provide and maintain a safe system of work for the excavation which included a failure to refer to utility plans showing the location of the pipes, and failed to provide required information, instruction and supervision to the works.
HSE inspector Mac Young said, "This incident was both entirely foreseeable and easily preventable. Fife Council’s failures all related to inadequate risk assessment, lack of safe systems of work and a breakdown principally of the supervision of those employees involved. The risks attached to excavation works are well known and documented. Guidance states that hand held power tools and mechanical excavators are the main causes of danger and should not be used close to underground services.
"Thankfully, no-one was injured, nor was there any damage to property. That, however, is down more to luck than judgement."
