Firm fined after tipper driver fatality

Contracting firm fined after tipper driver fatally injured when his truck overturned on stockpile

CONTRACTING firm Sirius Remediation Ltd have been fined £45,000 after a driver died when his tipper truck overturned.

Sheffield Crown Court heard how, on 17 September 2013, a tipper truck driver was fatally injured when his wagon overturned while he was tipping spoil on to a stockpile.

Sirius Remediation were managing works that involved raising the ground levels on site by re-using spoil from other sites, instead of sending it to landfill.

The driver, who reversed up the slope of the stockpile and raised his tipper body, suffered fatal trauma injuries to his chest when the truck toppled over sideways.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found there was nothing to demarcate the sides or top of the slope, such as beams or barriers at the edges of the spoil heap, to prevent plant or other vehicles getting close to high and possibly loose edges.

There was also a failure to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for the safe formation of the stockpile.

Sirius Remediation Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and were fined £45,000 and ordered to pay costs of £10,000.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Medani Close said: ‘Stockpiling should only take place under the control of a suitably qualified temporary works manager or co-ordinator, as it can be a high-risk activity if not properly managed.

‘Where stockpiling is unavoidable, tipping should take place on a firm, level surface, preferably at the base. Plants such as a crawler dozer or excavator should be used to create and maintain the stockpile, and its edges should be clearly demarcated with barriers.’