Firm fined GBP30,000 following fatality
June 8, 2009
Silo maintenance specialists, Silocheck Limited, of Airfield Buildings, Grayingham Road, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 4 (2) and 5 (1) of the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997.
The company was fined £30,000 for the regulation charges (£15,000 for each breach) and ordered to pay costs of £15,000 at Swindon Crown Court on 5th June 2009.
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the company following an incident on 10 August 2006 in which company employee Paul Sharp, from Scunthorpe, collapsed while suffering from heat exhaustion, and during cleaning work inside a silo at Southern Valley Feeds Limited, Portemarsh Industrial Estate, Calne, Wiltshire.
Speaking after the hearing, HSEP Inspector, Ian Whittles, said: "This tragic incident highlights the importance of appropriate training and emergency arrangements, especially when working within confined spaces. In this case, there were no appropriate systems of work, particularly with regard to access. For example, had there been a winch available, then rescuing Mr Sharp from inside the silo would have been much quicker and easier.
"One of the biggest risks of working in confined spaces is 'the element of surprise'. Often, workers are caught unawares because of the many hidden dangers. This is why it is so important to have safety systems in place. Prevention is always better than cure!"
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The company was fined £30,000 for the regulation charges (£15,000 for each breach) and ordered to pay costs of £15,000 at Swindon Crown Court on 5th June 2009.
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the company following an incident on 10 August 2006 in which company employee Paul Sharp, from Scunthorpe, collapsed while suffering from heat exhaustion, and during cleaning work inside a silo at Southern Valley Feeds Limited, Portemarsh Industrial Estate, Calne, Wiltshire.
Speaking after the hearing, HSEP Inspector, Ian Whittles, said: "This tragic incident highlights the importance of appropriate training and emergency arrangements, especially when working within confined spaces. In this case, there were no appropriate systems of work, particularly with regard to access. For example, had there been a winch available, then rescuing Mr Sharp from inside the silo would have been much quicker and easier.
"One of the biggest risks of working in confined spaces is 'the element of surprise'. Often, workers are caught unawares because of the many hidden dangers. This is why it is so important to have safety systems in place. Prevention is always better than cure!"
Find out more about Risk Assessment
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