A manufacturer of large concrete panels and a plant hire company were sentenced following the fatal crush of a worker by a concrete panel at construction facility in Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
On 8 July 2014 Richard Reddish, a 29 year old father of one, who was employed by Explore Manufacturing Ltd, was working in a mobile elevating working platform (MEWP) in the finishing area, removing the lifting attachments from the top of a concrete panel, which weighed around 11 tonnes and was stored on a transport pallet.
The accident took place when the panel started to topple, while Reddish was standing in the raised MEWP basket. The first panel struck the MEWP, throwing the worker from the basket, also causing other panels to topple like dominoes, one of which fatally crushed him. The transport pallets were supplied by Select Plant Hire Company Ltd who shared the responsibility for their maintenance with Explore Manufacturing Ltd.
An investigation carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) confirmed that a rectangular metal frame attached to the pallet was not correctly connected to the pallet and there was no system of pre-use checks. The pallets were also in a poor condition, with a number of defects, including missing support bearers and stabilising legs. Other failings included inappropriate storage of freestanding concrete panels in the finishing area, which should have been secured in storage racks, and a lack of sufficient planning. The investigation also identified failings in the other storage systems on site.
Explore Manufacturing Ltd pleaded guilty for breaching the Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974 for failing to ensure safety and welfare of its employees during the transportation and storage of pre-cast concrete panels. The company was fined £1.3 million and ordered to pay costs of £13,922.
Select Plant Hire Company Ltd pleaded guilty for breaching the same Act for failing to properly maintain the transport pallets, exposing the Explore employees to risks to their health and safety. The company was fined £1.2 million and ordered to pay costs of £13,922.
After the hearing, HSE Inspector Stuart Pilkington said: "This tragic incident led to the avoidable death of a young man, whose death could easily have been prevented if the companies had acted following previous warnings to identify and manage the risks involved, maintain the equipment, and put a safer system of work in place."
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