Recycling company fined £880,000 after ‘horrific’ fatality

MD and former operations director handed 20-week prison sentences, suspended for two years

MID-UK Recycling Ltd have been fined £880,000 and two people have been given suspended prison sentences following the death of an agency worker at the company’s Barkston Heath site, near Ancaster, on 19 July 2013. Nottingham Crown Court heard how Karlis Pavasars was cleaning up near a conveyor when the recycling line was started up, drawing him on to the conveyor, along the line, through a trommel and into an industrial waste shredder.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the fixed gate that fenced off the area and prevented access to the conveyor had been removed for a number of weeks prior to the incident, which meant that workers could freely gain access to the area. Management were aware that the gate was not in place just days before the incident. The investigation also found the company failed to design and provide a recycling line that was safe for those that worked on and around it, including the separation of wheeled vehicles and pedestrians. The company also failed to maintain adequate guarding of the line to prevent access to it while it was in operation, and failed to train and supervise agency workers.

Sleaford-based Mid-UK Recycling Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) and Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and were fined £880,000 and ordered to pay costs of £100,000. Christopher Mountain, managing director, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work Act and was given a 20-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, and fined £50,000. Alan Munson, former operations director, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of Health and Safety at Work Act and was also given a 20-week prison sentence, suspended for two years.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Dr Richenda Dixon said: ‘This horrific fatality could so easily have been avoided by simply installing and maintaining physical guards around conveyors and ensuring that safe working practices were in place. Employers should make sure they properly assess, apply and maintain effective control measures to minimize the risk from dangerous parts of machinery.’