Recycling site worker severely injured

Ayrshire-based company receives £80,000 fine after employee crushed between two skips  

AN Ayr construction material recycling and scrap metal company has been fined £80,000 after a worker was severely injured when he was crushed between two skips.

On 26 August 2009, Steven Graham was standing in between the skips at a recycling centre run by Lowmac Alloys Ltd when an 18-tonne loading shovel hit one of the skips, pushing it towards the other and crushing him between them.

Mr Graham screamed for help but the driver of the loading shovel did not hear his cries at first and carried on driving. When he realized that Mr Graham was injured, the driver tried to lift one of the skips away but it took two attempts before he managed to do so.

Mr Graham was taken to Ayr Hospital where he was treated for a broken pelvis and other severe, life-changing injuries.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that the company had not properly risk assessed traffic management at the site and had not provided and maintained a safe system of work, in that there were no barriers or road markings to separate pedestrian workers from the loading shovel or other vehicles on site.

The investigation also found that the loading shovel was too big for the area where it was operating, and that the drivers had never been formally trained, were not supervised, and had been given no training whatsoever on health and safety issues.

Moreover, the one portable toilet on site was found to be unhygienic with no running water, and several of the employees told HSE inspectors that it was so filthy they preferred to urinate in the yard, which was a practice accepted by the management. It was this situation that led to Mr Graham being in between the skips at the time of the incident.

At Ayr Sheriff Court, Lowmac Alloys Ltd, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and were fined £80,000.

Commenting on the case, HSE Inspector Aileen Jardine said: ‘Mr Graham suffered horrendous injuries that will affect him for the rest of his life – but this incident was entirely avoidable.

‘If Lowmac had taken simple steps to protect their staff, carrying out a proper risk assessment and taking measures to separate employees from the heavy vehicles that operated on site, this would not have happened.

‘And if the company had shown basic consideration for the welfare of their employees by providing a toilet that was fit to use, Mr Graham would not have been left in such a vulnerable position.’