Locations
The fines and costs which may flow from a safety related incident can be significant, not to mention the reputational stigma which the company will suffer. We set out below examples of recent prosecutions which give a flavour of the sentences handed down following conviction. For further information on any of these cases please do not hesitate to contact Rhys Griffiths of our Corporate Risk Management Group.
| Two Aberdeen firms fined after worker severely injured in fall | |
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Injury: |
Eight fractures of the vertebrae, two broken ribs |
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Fines: |
£45,000 (Aberdeen Fabrication) £30,000 (Riverside Construction) |
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Companies: |
Aberdeen Fabrication Limited Riverside Construction (Aberdeen) Limited |
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Legislation: |
Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (Aberdeen Fabrication) Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (Riverside Construction) |
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Costs: |
n/a |
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Source: |
HSE, 15 April 2014 |
| Firm in court after worker suffered radiation burns | |
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Injury: |
Severe tissue damage to the middle, ring and little fingers of right hand |
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Fine: |
£30,000 |
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Company: |
Mistras ETS Ltd |
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Legislation: |
Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 |
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Costs: |
£4,930 |
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Source: |
HSE, 31 March 2014 |
| Company in court for ignoring safety risks | |
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Injury: |
Large gash to the back of head and broken part of hip bone |
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Fine: |
£20,000 |
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Company: |
Portland Stone Firms Limited |
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Legislation: |
Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Regulation 9(2) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 |
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Costs: |
£18,992 |
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Source: |
HSE, 15 April 2014 |
| County Durham firm in court after worker loses leg | |
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Injury: |
Right leg had to be amputated below the knee, and then later above the knee |
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Fine: |
£20,000 |
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Company: |
Con Mech Engineers Ltd |
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Legislation: |
Section 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974 |
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Costs: |
£8,045 |
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Source: |
HSE, 15 April 2014 |
| Firm fined for workers’ injuries tackling fire | |
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Injury: |
One worker received burns to chest, neck and face; the second worker required skin grafts for severe burns |
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Fine: |
£20,000 |
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Company: |
Maxibrite Ltd |
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Legislation: |
Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Regulation 3(1)(a) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 |
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Costs: |
£5,115 |
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Source: |
HSE, 28 March 2014 |
| Salford Council prosecuted after child loses fingertips in school gate | |
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Injury: |
Lost the tips of three fingers |
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Fines: |
£20,000 |
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Company: |
Salford City Council |
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Legislation: |
Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 |
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Costs: |
£3,632 |
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Source: |
HSE, 4 April 2014 |
| Waste firm prosecuted after worker severs fingers in machinery | |
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Injury: |
Lost the tips of two fingers |
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Fine: |
£20,000 |
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Company: |
Biffa Waste Services Ltd |
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Legislation: |
Section 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 |
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Costs: |
£1,542 |
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Source: |
HSE, 3 April 2014 |
| Council in court after death of pensioner | |
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Injury: |
Death |
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Fine: |
£20,000 |
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Company: |
Glasgow City Council |
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Legislation: |
Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. |
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Costs: |
n/a |
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Source: |
HSE, 11 April 2014 |
| Firm sentenced after tractor wheel fell on worker | |
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Injury: |
Collapsed lung, fractured ribs, a broken leg and broken collarbones |
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Fine: |
£10,000 |
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Company: |
Angus Tyres Ltd |
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Legislation: |
Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. |
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Costs: |
n/a |
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Source: |
HSE, 15 April 2014 |
| Company in court after apprentice loses finger | |
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Injury: |
Suffered crush injuries to hand leading to the amputation of index finger below the second joint. Second finger was also broken. |
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Fine: |
£8,000 |
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Company: |
Miller UK Ltd |
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Legislation: |
Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 |
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Costs: |
£894.95 |
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Source: |
HSE, 3 April 2014 |
| Furniture maker in court after trainee’s hand injury | |
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Injury: |
Severe lacerations across the palm, fingers and back of the hand. |
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Fine: |
£7,000 |
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Company: |
Wood and Mott Ltd |
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Legislation: |
Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and Regulation 19(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. |
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Costs: |
£699 |
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Source: |
HSE, 28 March 2014 |
| Packaging company fined after worker’s leg injury | |
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Injury: |
Serious fracture of left ankle, severe damage to tendons and a large fracture blister which covered lower leg. |
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Fine: |
£7,000 |
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Company: |
LP Foreman & Sons Ltd |
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Legislation: |
Regulation 17(1) of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 . |
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Costs: |
£621 |
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Source: |
HSE, 1 April 2014 |
| Cornwall Council and building company fined for worker’s injuries | |
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Injury: |
Broken pelvis |
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Fine: |
£6,000 each for Cornwall Council and Mr Sobey |
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Company: |
Cornwall Council |
| Individual: | Thomas Sobey |
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Legislation: |
Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. |
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Costs: |
£7,698 (Cornwall Council) £7,782 (Mr Sobey) |
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Source: |
HSE, 1 April 2014 |
| Narrow escape for teenage worker in four metre fall | |
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Injury: |
Bad bruising to back |
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Fine: |
£2,000 |
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Company: |
Austin Gregg (t/a Gregg Electrical) |
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Legislation: |
Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. |
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Costs: |
£505 |
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Source: |
HSE, 14 April 2014 |
| Bolton charity in court after child loses finger in school door | |
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Injury: |
Lost a finger |
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Fine: |
None – conditional discharge received |
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Company: |
Birtenshaw |
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Legislation: |
Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 |
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Costs: |
£898 |
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Source: |
HSE, 11 April 2014 |