Firms fined following Whatley Quarry death

HSE prosecutes Hanson Quarry Products Europe and owner of Quarry Maintenance Service Engineers

HANSON Quarry Products Europe Ltd and a Wiltshire-based maintenance contractor have been fined following the death of Neal Webber, who was killed while carrying out maintenance work in a large limestone fines hopper at Whatley Quarry, near Frome, Somerset, on 9 February 2008.

Hanson Quarry Products Europe Ltd and Robert Alan Taylor, who was then trading as Quarry Maintenance Service Engineers, were both prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) last month at Taunton Crown Court, although during the hearing it was accepted by all parties that the failings of either defendant did not cause Mr Webber’s death.

Mr Webber and a colleague, Neil Myers, were working to remove compacted material from the inside of the hopper when the material they were standing on collapsed. Mr Webber was buried under approximately 12 tonnes of limestone dust and was suffocated. Mr Myers, who was buried up to his chest but managed to pull himself out and attempted to help Mr Webber, suffered severe shock.

The court heard that while both men had been wearing a safety harness, the equipment used by Mr Webber – which was his own – did not prevent him from being buried under the limestone dust when the compacted material he was standing on collapsed. Mr Myer’s harness was attached to a shorter, fixed-length line and, consequently, he was not fully buried by the limestone dust during the collapse.

HSE Inspector Ann Linden said: ‘Entering a hopper like this must be a last resort after all other possible methods of clearing compacted material have been considered and ruled out – and even then it needs to be very carefully planned and organized.

‘In this case the parties involved did not consider an alternative to entering the hopper to clear the compacted material. The equipment and work method used in this case were not a safe option. If firms are going to send men into confined spaces they must be more rigorous with the safety systems they have in place.’

Hanson Quarry Products Europe Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and were fined £27,500 and ordered to pay costs of £27,000.

Robert Taylor, owner of Quarry Maintenance Service Engineers, pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 4(2) of the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 and was fined £1,500 and ordered to pay costs of £10,000.