Health And Safety Failings – Port Operator Fined After Mooring Incident

Port Operator Fined After Mooring Incident

Key Facts

• A port operator was prosecuted after a worker was injured.
• The worker’s hand became caught between a powered capstan and a heaving line, causing serious injuries.
• The port operator was fined £1.8 million, plus costs of over £14,000.

The Case

An HSE investigation was launched into the safety practices of a port operator after a terminal worker was seriously injured whilst mooring an ocean-going vessel.

The subsequent investigation found that the injured worker was working as part of a team working to secure a vessel’s heavy mooring ropes to land when the fingers of his left hand became caught between a powered capstan and a heaving line. He suffered multiple fractures as well as nerve and ligament damage.

The HSE deemed that the port operator had failed to identify and control the risks associated with powered capstans to a suitable degree and that a safe system of work had not been adopted. Inadequacies in training and supervision of workers were also identified, and warnings raised by the port operator’s employees had not been suitably addressed.

The case was heard in Basildon Crown Court in January, where the port operator pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974. They were fined £1.8 million, and ordered to pay costs of over £14,000. An Improvement Notice was also served to the company.

What the HSE had to say

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Glyn Davies said:

‘This type of incident was totally foreseeable – indeed workers had already alerted their employer to risks arising from these particular capstans. This serious incident could easily have led to a fatality.

All capstans feature dangerous rotating components. Capstans are difficult to guard, so it is vital that all workers must be made to stand well away from the danger zone while they are in use. This can be achieved by measures including careful design of the capstans and surrounding work area, for example to keep foot-pedals well away from rotating components. Here, it is fortunate that an alert co-worker successfully operated an emergency stop device on the capstan, preventing further injury.

Employers should seek to cooperate with workers to improve standards of health and safety, encouraging all to report ‘near-misses’ or potentially dangerous situations. Clearly it is most important that employers investigate such concerns, and act promptly to implement appropriate safety precautions.’

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