Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard how a 54-year-old working at a site on Swains Lane in Camden, London, was killed when an old fuel storage tank he was cutting up exploded and the end of the vessel struck him causing fatal injuries.
An investigation by the HSE found both contractors failed in their duties to effectively plan, manage and monitor control measures to address the risks associated with the demolition of a site that contained fuel tanks. The standards for this type of work are well known, established and clear.
Materials Movement Ltd of Henlow, Bedfordshire pleaded guilty and was fined £33,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,675.38.
Speaking after the case, HSE inspector Ian Shearring said, “Mr Hampton had recently adopted two young boys and this incident leaves them, along with his wife, alone and struggling financially all for the sake of a bit more effort on both defendant’s parts. There was a clear failure to adequately assess and control the risks of this highly dangerous work. It was left to the workers to devise their own methods of working, which was compounded by no site management.
