UK company fined £100,000 for man’s death
A manufacturing company based out in Caerphilly, Mid Glamorgan, was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £13,375 for a man's death.
The company pleaded guilty to a breach of section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
In the present case, Durham Crown Court heard that the company had failed to implement sufficient safety measures to prevent workers accessing a particularly dangerous area.
This resulted in the death of a German project engineer, who died from severe personal injury.
On the 2nd November 2006, the 38-year-old man was working in an enclosure when he was struck by a device used to transport completed aluminum products. He died on the way to hospital as a result of the work accident.
Personal injury claims and prosecutions are all too common in the manufacturing industry, with 25,900 employees reporting work-related injuries during the 2007/2008 period.
Health and Safety Executive Inspector, Zoe Feather, said: “This incident could have been easily prevented if the company had a suitable system to make sure workers could not gain access into the shuttle line."
Speaking outside Durham Crown Court, he also added that employers who operate machinery are required to identify the risks and implement thorough and suitable precautions.
It is unknown if a compensation claim will be filed.Updated on 08/04/2010