.Rocket motor company fined for safety failings
An engineering company in Worcestershire, has been fined more than £380,000 for safety failings.
Worcester Crown Court heard how an employee of Roxel (Rocket Motor) Limited was inspecting a rocket motor for damages received during the manufacturing process.
He used a fibre optic light to illuminate a conduit on the ‘charge’ of the motor. The propellant ignited by the heat from the light. Luckily no one was injured.
The charge burned for about 10 seconds sending flames and gases out of both ends of the ‘charge’ until it burnt out. The room where the ignition occurred was set on fire. Also present in that room were four explosives charges and a Vulcan rocket motor, there was also a further 230kg of explosive charges in the magazine that is next door to the room, which still had the magazine doors open. Two employees were working in the room and an agency worker was present in the magazine when the ignition occurred. It was foreseeable that other propellants and charges in the room and magazine could have been ignited by the Titus charge and subsequent fires.
At the time of the incident the company did not know what explosives were in the building and could not inform the emergency services as to the level of risk. The potential to cause harm was great due to excessive explosives material being present in the building and the number of people present nearby including the emergency services.
It took the company well over an hour for the them to understand the hazards present and react to the situation, The on-site emergency plan was not made available to the Fire and Rescue Services, meaning they were put at risk.
An investigation by the HSE into the incident which occurred on 16 November 2012 found that there was a lack of assessments of the risks and no safe system of work in place. The emergency plan was not implemented.
Roxel (UK Rocket Motors) Limited, of Summerfield Lane, Summerfield, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, pleaded guilty to breaching ss2(1) and 3(1) HSWA
1974, and Reg. 12 of the Control of Major Accident Hazards 2015, and was fined £386,000 and ordered to pay costs of £60,000.
Support worker sentenced after elderly disabled woman choked and died
A senior support worker from Leeds was sentenced after a severely disabled woman choked and later died while in her care
Leeds Crown Court heard Tracey Gilboy, a senior support worker at an adult day care centre in Leeds allowed a sweet to be given to Alison Evers, a 34- year-old, severely disabled woman who had not developed a rotary chew, the circular motion that allows food to be ground down enough to swallow, and therefore required a soft diet. She choked and later died in hospital.
An investigation by the HSE into the incident which occurred on 20 April 2012 found that Tracey Gilboy failed to take reasonable care for the safety of Alison Evers in a way that almost immediately set in motion a chain of events that directly led to her death.
Tracey Ann Gilboy, of Long Row, Horsforth, Leeds, pleaded guilty to breaching s7(a) HSWA 1974, and was sentenced to 80 days imprisonment, suspended for twelve months.
Healthcare company fined after death of elderly resident
A care home company based in Middlesex has been fined after an elderly resident of a Surrey home died from scalding injuries.
Guildford Crown Court heard how the 89-year-old was receiving personal care from two employees of European Healthcare Group Plc at Old Wall Cottage Nursing Home. She received significant scalding injuries, and subsequently died of her injuries in hospital.
An investigation by the HSE into the incident, which occurred on 30 August 2011, found that the bathroom taps in were not adjusted to limit the temperature of the water to a safe level for bathing and showering.
The investigation also found that while the company had policies and procedures in place they were deficient and the company failed to effectively communicate information and instruction to its staff so that the control measures could be implemented effectively.
European Healthcare Group Plc, of Windsor Street, Uxbridge, Middlesex, pleaded guilty to breaching s3(1) HSWA 1974, and was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £50,000.
HSE inspector Michelle Canning said after the hearing:
“This tragic and preventable incident highlights the responsibility that all care providers have to protect the safety of people in their care. People who live in residential care and nursing homes are amongst some of the most vulnerable in our society and rely on others to provide a safe environment for them to live in. All healthcare premises have a legal duty to control the risks of scalding injuries from bathing or showering and there is guidance that is well established and simple to implement.”
London borough council fined for safety failings
A London borough council has been fined after a road worker suffered serious injury whilst cutting trees.
Southwark Crown Court heard how an employee of London Borough of Havering sustained a serious cut injury just above his left knee after a Sthil cut-off saw he was using was fitted with an inappropriate blade and used to cut tree roots and branches with.
The blade became stuck and on pulling it free the blade ran across the top of his left knee.
He suffered a deep cut above the left knee damaging ligaments and cartiledge requiring sixty stiches.
An investigation by the HSE into the incident which occurred on 2 March 2015 found that the wrong equipment was being used for the task. No risk assessment was conducted for the use of the saw and blade.
A safe system of work should have been in place that identified suitable and compatible machinery for certain tasks.
London Borough of Havering, Town Hall, Main Road, Romford, pleaded guilty to breaching Reg. 4(2) and 4(3) Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, and was fined £500,000 and ordered to pay costs of £8,240.
Worker killed after fall through roof
Two companies based in Northamptonshire have been fined after a worker died following a fall through a roof.
Northampton Crown Court heard how an employee of A-Lift Crane Hire Limited, who had been hired by Premier Roofing Systems Limited to provide them with a crane to lift roofing sheets onto a factory roof at Virani Foods Limited in Wellingborough. Whilst the sheets were being lifted onto the roof, the employee fell through an unprotected skylight and died as a result of his injuries.
An investigation by the HSE into the incident which occurred on 9 August 2013 found that preventative measures to allow operatives to work safely on the roof were not put in place.
Premier Roofing Systems Limited, of Unit G, The Grove, Corby Northamptonshire, pleaded guilty to breaching s3(1) HSWA 1974, and was fined £140,250 and ordered to pay costs of £41,428.
A-Lift Crane Hire Limited, of Main Road, Wilby Northamptonshire, pleaded guilty to breaching s2(1) HSWA 1974, and was fined £83,300 and ordered to pay costs of £21,500.
Worker dies at Portsmouth ship scrapping yard
A ship building and repair company, Diverse Ventures,has been fined following the death of a worker who was hit by a mooring rope.
Hove Crown Court heard that 50-year-old Paul Hudghton died after being hit by a rope being used to pull the jib of a small Tori crane back into position at Tipner Wharf, Portsmouth.
He suffered significant head injuries as a result of the rope breaking under tension and striking him. He was not part of the work activity, but was standing in the danger area of the operation.
An investigation by the HSE into the incident which occurred on 21 November 2012 found that there was no management of safety during the activity, or any suitable and sufficient risk assessment.
HSE inspector Joanne Williams said after the hearing:
“This case which resulted in fatal injuries highlights the very need to ensure work is adequately assessed and planned, and carried out in a manner which is safe, taking into consideration not only the safety of employees but the safety of others who may be affected by your work.”
Diverse Ventures Limited, of, Tipner Wharf, TwyfordAvenue,Wellesley House, London Road, Waterlooville Hampshire pleaded guilty to breaching s3(1) HSWA 1974 and was fined £45,000, with costs of £9,000.
Company fined £90,000 for safety failings
A coach company in Wrexham has been fined £90,000 after it repeatedly failed to comply with legal notices to get its lifting equipment examined.
Mold Magistrates’ Court heard that, between 4 April 2014 and 28 August 2015, GHA Coaches Limited failed to have its lifting equipment thoroughly examined within the required timescales to ensure that health and safety conditions were maintained and that any deterioration could be detected and remedied in good time.
In 2015, an inspection revealed overdue Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) examinations on at least 14 items. An improvement notice was served, and extended twice, and still resulted in a failure to comply.
An investigation by the HSE found that a previous improvement notice was served in 2011.
GHA Coaches Limited, of Vauxhall Industrial Estate, Ruabon, Wrexham, pleaded guilty to breaching Reg. 9(3)(a)(ii) Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER),and failing to comply with an Improvement Notice, and was fined a total of £90,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,068.
Worker injured when entangled in machinery
An engineering company based in Sheffield has been fined after a worker became entangled in machinery.
Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard how an employee of Special Machined Products Limited (SMPL) became entangled with a rotating metal bar being used to prevent materials being ejected from the lathe he was operating. The employee’s jumper became entangled with the rotating ‘stop’ bar as he lent over the lathe to reach spare cutting tips.
He suffered severe trauma to the lower left arm.
An investigation by the HSE into the incident which occurred on 1 October 2015 found that the company had not identified the use of the stop bar in their risk assessment or the hazards it created.
Special Machined Products Limited, of Bessemer Road, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to breaching s2(1) HSWA 1974, and was fined £55,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,107.
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