Prosecutions
Corn refiner fined £360,000 after worker falls during a crane lifting exercise
30/10/2009
A corn refiner has been fined more than a quarter of a million pounds following the death of a contractor working on one of its ships.
The employee died whilst unloading raw sugar from a ship at the company’s sugar refinery in East London.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted the company who pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2 (1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
The company was fined £270,000, with costs of £90,000 for failings that led to the death of an employee, which occurred in March 2004. The employee, who worked for Contractor A, was inside a bulldozer that fell from a crane as it was being lowered into the hold of a ship.
As the vehicle was being lowered into the ship, the lifting lug – connecting the lifting chain to the crane – snapped, dropping the bulldozer. The bulldozer hit the ship and then fell into the water and Mr Webb was tragically killed.
The HSE conducted an investigation which identified a number of failures in the management of the operations at the dock. These included a failure to provide and manage proper means of access to the ships being unloaded; and failure to manage and control staff and contractors.
A HSE inspector commented upon the fine: "In failing to identify and address these inadequacies before they led to the death of a worker, Tate and Lyle's performance fell well below what could be reasonably expected of them. Above all, however, this is a human tragedy as Mr Webb leaves a widow, two grown up children, and two grandchildren, one of whom he was sadly never able to meet. This terrible accident should never have been allowed to happen."
Mr Webb's widow Avril, who was present in court, said: "I'm still trying to fill the huge void left by his death, still trying to pick up the threads of a life that I can no longer enjoy. I am half of a whole person. I am no longer part of a couple."
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted the company who pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2 (1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
The company was fined £270,000, with costs of £90,000 for failings that led to the death of an employee, which occurred in March 2004. The employee, who worked for Contractor A, was inside a bulldozer that fell from a crane as it was being lowered into the hold of a ship.
As the vehicle was being lowered into the ship, the lifting lug – connecting the lifting chain to the crane – snapped, dropping the bulldozer. The bulldozer hit the ship and then fell into the water and Mr Webb was tragically killed.
The HSE conducted an investigation which identified a number of failures in the management of the operations at the dock. These included a failure to provide and manage proper means of access to the ships being unloaded; and failure to manage and control staff and contractors.
A HSE inspector commented upon the fine: "In failing to identify and address these inadequacies before they led to the death of a worker, Tate and Lyle's performance fell well below what could be reasonably expected of them. Above all, however, this is a human tragedy as Mr Webb leaves a widow, two grown up children, and two grandchildren, one of whom he was sadly never able to meet. This terrible accident should never have been allowed to happen."
Mr Webb's widow Avril, who was present in court, said: "I'm still trying to fill the huge void left by his death, still trying to pick up the threads of a life that I can no longer enjoy. I am half of a whole person. I am no longer part of a couple."