Fatal workplace accident leads to prosecution

Company prosecuted following two men being crushed to death under a 100 tonne capacity dumper truck   - 2nd September 2008

 

A tragic accident at work claimed the lives of two workers at the Scottish Coal Company Ltd's Pennyvennie site in East Ayrshire when their vehicle was crushed beneath a 100 tonne capacity dumper truck.

This workplace accident may have been prevented had better health and safety measures had been in place, and has led to the Health and Safety Executive warning about the dangers of poorly managed transport in the workplace.

The accident occurred on 26th February 2007, when the dump truck reversed over the mens vehicle after not seeing them because they were in a blind spot, resulting in both men receiving fatal injuries at work.

Scottish Coal Company Ltd pleaded guilty at Ayr Sheriff's Court to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 which states: "It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety", they were fined £400,000

An Inspector with the HSE said: "These two deaths were entirely preventable and arose from the clear failure of Scottish Coal to provide suitable means of communication between different vehicles on site in order to reduce the risk of collisions, as well as a failure to manage vehicles on their site."

"Control measures to reduce the risk are easily available at a minimal cost. Installing an additional camera on the side of the dump truck, fitting a raised roof beacon or other means of improving visibility on the Landrover could prevent similar incidents in the future."