Graham Engineering Ltd of Whitehalls Industrial Estate, Nelson, has been successfully prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following a fatal incident.
Mr Colin Willoughby was working on a raised middle section of a Hugh Smith 1000 tonne capacity press at the site on 21 May 2018. He was lying on his back underneath the section, using a hand-held electric grinder to remove a weld from the base of a large metal piston. Tragically when the weld was removed, the internal ram of the press fell through, crushing Mr Willoughby and killing him instantly.
The HSE's investigation discovered that the company has failed to carry out a risk assessment and ensure there was a safe system of work on the Hugh Smith 1000 tonne capacity press. During the incident the 20 tonne middle section of the press was being raised and 'secured' by fork lift trucks to enable access underneath, however the weight of the middle section exceeded the safe working load of the fork lift trucks.
A jury at Preston Crown Court found that Graham Engineering Ltd was guilty of breaching their duty under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
The managing director of the company was also on trial for an associated charged under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, after the HSE claimed that the offence was due to the managing directors consent, connivance or attributable to their neglect, however the jury acquitted them of any charges.
The company was fined a total of £500,000 with £145,487 in costs.
HSE principal inspector Steven Boyd, commented on the incident: "An unsafe system of work was adopted by Graham Engineering Ltd whilst undertaking hazardous work and the ensuing sequence of events led to the untimely death of Mr Willoughby. This tragic incident could have been avoided if the task had been adequately risk assessed and supervised to ensure safe procedures were followed."
