Three companies fined after worker fatality
Hanson Packed Products among trio of companies prosecuted following death of a haulage truck driver
THREE companies have been fined for safety failings after a concrete panel fell from a lorry and killed a worker.
Derby Crown Court heard how, on 11 January 2011, 45-year-old Travis Hale was employed as a driver by Punchards Haulage Ltd to transport a load of four concrete panels from Derby to a construction site in Edinburgh.
The panels had been designed by VTK Structures Ltd and manufactured by Hanson Packed Products Ltd. When Mr Hale arrived to collect the loaded trailer from Hanson’s yard, three vehicle straps supplied by Punchards had been used to secure the load to the trailer.
Shortly after starting his journey, Mr Hale was contacted and asked to pull over to check his load. He was joined by employees from VTK who advised him to fit more straps. When Mr Hale undid one of the existing straps, a panel weighing approximately 1.5 tonnes fell off the trailer and killed him.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the number of straps over the load were not sufficient to secure it safely for transport, and all three companies should have co-operated to ensure that a safer means of securing the concrete panels on the trailer was used.
Punchards Haulage were fined a total of £140,000 and ordered to pay costs of £37,016 after pleading guilty to an offence under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
VTK Structures were also fined a total of £140,000, and ordered to pay costs of £37,016 after pleading guilty to an offence under Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Hanson Packed Products (formerly known as Hanson Building Products) were fined a total of £80,000, and ordered to pay costs of £37,016 after pleading guilty to an offence under Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Stuart Parry said: ‘VTK and Punchards should have provided Mr Hale and other drivers with better means of securing panels, such as toast racks or A frames. They did not do so and this failing led to the tragic death of Mr Hale.’
