Waste company prosecuted after worker run over

Sundorne Products (Llanidloes) Ltd fined £180,000 after worker had to have both legs amputated

A WELSH landfill company has been fined £180,000 after a worker had to have both legs amputated after being run over by a large loading shovel.

Mold Crown Court heard how the loading shovel hit the worker as he was walking across the yard at the Bryn Posteg landfill site, in Llanidloes, on 6 November 2015.

The worker suffered severe injuries and had to have both legs amputated at the mid-thigh, and was hospitalized for six-months.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Sundorne Products (Llanidloes) Ltd did not have controls in place to protect workers from the high volume of vehicles and traffic on site.

Although the company had previously identified the risk and how it could prevent workers being hit by vehicles, it did not put the measures in place.

Sundorne Products pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 and Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and were fined £180,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,657.

HSE inspector Mhairi Duffy said: ‘It is extremely important to identify how to protect your workers, but you must back this up with action.

‘This worker and his family have had their lives changed forever because Sundorne Products Ltd failed to take action to protect their workers from being run over by vehicles on the site.

‘All businesses that have high volumes of vehicles on their sites can learn from this case.’