A company has been fined after an employee was struck by an excavator and fatally crushed.
Back in May 2017, an employee was fatally killed whilst a crusher was being prepared for use following transportation from another quarry. The victim was struck by a quick hitch on the dipper arm of an excavator and crushed between the quick hitch and side of the feed hopper of a mobile crusher.
Having conducted an investigation, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that there had been a lack of risk assessments and a safe system of work to be followed by employees while they were erecting the hinged crusher feed hooper side plates, which required being lifted into position and secured with wedges and pins, along with the fitting of a cross brace beam in the feeder.
The company was fined £130,000 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
HM Specialist Inspector Mike Tetley said: “This case should serve as a reminder of the need for employers and quarry operators, as duty holders, to review their activities to ensure that a suitable and sufficient assessment of risk has been made and recorded, that the necessary equipment and controls are in place and sufficient information, instruction and training has been provided, especially when excavators are being used as lifting equipment.”
