HSE Crane Safety Warning After Liverpool Company Is Prosecuted Following Death Of Welder, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 18 Apr 2008 - 5:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) warned of the dangers of allowing cranes to operate over the heads of employees. The warning following the prosecution of a Liverpool-based company after a man was killed and another seriously injured after they were struck by a load that fell from a crane.

MRX Engineering Support Services Ltd, trading as Stackright Building Systems of Charleywood Road, Kirby was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £16,941 costs at Liverpool Crown Court to breaching S 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in that it failed to ensure the safety of it's employees. The company pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Knowsley Magistrates Court.

Welder Keith Wharton, aged 41, from Kirby was killed instantly and his colleague Christopher Cansfield, 31, from Bootle sustained severe injuries including a broken neck and leg in the incident on 8 March 2007.

HSE Inspector Iain Evans who investigated the incident said:

"Keith Wharton should not have died. His was an avoidable, pointless and unnecessary death in an environment where there were numerous safety issues. If the company which employed him had dutifully exercised its responsibility to ensure their safety, his family would not be here at court today grieving their loss.

"There is a very clear responsibility on employers and managers to safeguard their workers. There is plenty of advice and guidance within industry and from HSE on how to comply with the law. The failure to do so in this instance cost one man his life, and seriously injured his colleague."

The court heard that the Mr Wharton was killed and Mr Cansfield seriously injured when a steel lifting frame weighing more than half a ton fell from an overhead crane. There was no safety catch on the hook of the crane, which could have prevented the load from falling. The company should not have allowed loads to be moved over people's heads and the crane operators had not been adequately trained in its safe use.

Notes

1. The Health and Safety at work etc Act 1974 Section 2 (1) says:
"It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees."

2. The maximum penalty for a breach of S2 of the HSWA in the higher court is an unlimited fine.

http://www.hse.gov.uk