An investigation conducted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety, has determined that Premier Engineering Projects Ltd and M&M Mobile Crane Hire Ltd could have prevented the death of a 48-year-old self-employed engineer. Russell Hartley had been hired by Premier Engineering Projects to replace a Trisomat screen, better known as a ‘flip-flop,’ at a materials recycling facility. Mr. Hartley and his team of engineers were using a crane, which was supplied by M&M Mobile Crane Hire, to lift the flip-flop off a telehandler, which had its forks slightly raised. The machinery then fell forward off the forks, crushing Mr. Hartley.
During its investigation, the HSE found that the work being done was not properly planned, supervised or performed safely, and the assessment of the risks arising from the work was both unsuitable and insufficient. Premier Engineering Projects and M&M Mobile Crane Hire each pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Premier Engineering Projects was fined £28,000 and ordered to pay £9,277.48 in costs, while M&M Mobile Crane was fined £48,000 and ordered to pay £9,500 in costs.
What people are saying
In a recent quote, HSE inspector Mark Slater said, “Had this work been planned, managed and monitored to a sufficient standard, this incident was entirely avoidable and Mr Hartley’s family would still have him in their lives. Risks arising from the lifting and moving of equipment of this size and nature are entirely foreseeable, and work of this nature should be afforded the utmost respect and care.”
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