Company Acquitted for Fatal Accident of a Worker
Comments: 0 - Date: October 19th, 2011 - Categories: Business Performance, Health Center, Lawyers Web
An Australian company is responsible for the fatal accident of a worker in a water-filled sump at the North Wales power station. They had to shell out £155,000 as fine.
A thirty-five year old Michael Benn, working with a team of three to eliminate the waste and slush from a cooling tower’s part at the Connah’s Quay Power Station drowned in it on the 27th of August 2007.
The HSE enquiry revealed that the work conditions were poor; there was not even a proper source of light. The workers were into a covered channel to examine the deepness of the sump filled with water.
The co-workers heard his cries for help but when they approached him, he had already drowned. They found his body from the sump bed.
The Company, Epsco Ltd, dealing with the maintenance did not have a safety measure to avoid such accidents. The HSE prosecuted the company in the Mold Crown Court. The company pleaded guilty for the charges under section 2(1) of the 1974 Health and safety Act. They had to pay a fine of £35,000 along with £120,000 as expenses.
Colin Mew, the Principal Inspector at HSE says that the fatal accident was utterly predictable and yet it occurred. The company should have realised that Mr. Benn or one of his co-workers would have to work in that sump as part of their job. The risks involved in such situation should have come to notice for any conscientious company.
The covered area where they worked was noisy, dark and the area was slippery and damp. The company did not provide safe measures to work in such conditions.
Accredited courses leading to the NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health are designed to help those with health and safety responsibilities to carry out their duties at work more effectively and to protect the organisations for which they work. Click NEBOSH e-learning – for information on a web-based training course accredited by the National Examination Board for Occupational Safety and Health.