Fine for Hanson Quarry Ltd
05/01/12: A Somerset firm and a man from Wiltshire man have both been fined after the death of a man at Whatley Quarry.
Neal Webber was carrying out some routine maintenance on a large hopper when he died in February 2008.
Robert Taylor and Hanson Quarry Ltd were both prosecuted by HSE at Taunton Court but it was agreed throughout that neither party’s failings had caused the death of Mr. Webber.
Mr. Webber and his colleague Neil Myers had been removing some hardened material from the interior of the hopper when the substance that they were both stood on collapsed. Mr. Webber was smothered underneath more than 200 hundred weight of limestone dust. Mr. Myers was also partially buried but was able to pull himself out; he attempted to assist Mr. Webber and suffered serious shock as a result of the accident.
The court was told that although both men were wearing harnesses, Mr. Webber’s equipment did not stop him from being buried beneath the dust when the hardened substance he stood on collapsed. The line which fixed Mr. Myer’s harness was shorter and as a result he did not become totally submerged by the dust.
A HSE spokesperson commented that a hopper should only be entered after all other methods of cleaning have been examined and eliminated, even then the procedure should be used as a last resort and must be carefully organised and planned.In this case neither of the parties involved had considered any alternatives to clearing the compacted material despite the work method and equipment not being safe. If companies are sending employees into confined spaces the safety systems must be rigorously enforced.
This tragic accident has left 2 children without a father and Mr. Myers has been traumatised by his inability to save his colleague.
Mr. Webber’s widow has said that her life changed overnight, despite it being almost 4 years ago, our daughters still miss Neal and have difficulty coming to terms with his death. The financial implications have also been difficult for me to deal with, Neal and I were both in full time employment at the time of the accident, but I now have to depend on benefits to bring up Emily and Ashleigh.
Hanson Quarry Ltd of Maidenhead was fined £27.5K and received a cost order for £27K after admitting breaches of H&S legislation.
Robert Taylor was fined £1.5K and received a cost order for £10K.
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