Textile recycler Savanna Rags International has been prosecuted after an 89-year-old worker was fatally injured, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced yesterday (30 October).
The HSE said that the Magistrates’ Court in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, heard yesterday how the female employee sustained fatal injuries on 26 April 2016 after a delivery vehicle driven by a visiting driver reversed from the weighbridge and struck her with the rear of the vehicle.
The hearing too place at the Magistrates’ Court in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.
Following an investigation by the health and safety regulator, it was revealed that the company had failed to make a “suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks arising from vehicle movement”.
Although it was common practice for vehicles to reverse from the weighbridge, it was also used by employees to access the factory.
The HSE said that Savanna Rags did not put any measures in place to “adequately segregate pedestrians from moving vehicles, and there was not a safe system of work in place to ensure that vehicles could manoeuvre safely”.
Guilty plea
The Midlands-based recycler and exporter was fined £650,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £3,300.25 after it pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations.
Savanna Rags was found to be in breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and Regulation 17(1) of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.
Speaking after the hearing Aaron Rashad, HSE inspector, said: “This was a tragic and wholly avoidable incident, caused by the failure of the company to undertake a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks arising from the movement of vehicles and implement safe systems of work.
“This meant the company failed to put in place a number of simple safety measures including segregating vehicles and pedestrians and reducing the need for vehicles to reverse.
“Sadly, this is the most common cause of fatal injuries in this sector. HSE is currently in the middle of targeting waste and recycling premises with an inspection initiative that will look at certain activities to ensure effective management and control of risk.
“We are calling on anyone working in the industry to take the time to refresh their knowledge of our advice and guidance, available for free on our website. Every worker has the right to return from work safe in the knowledge that their employer takes their health and safety seriously.”
Savanna Rags had no comment at this time.
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Source: letsrecycle.com General
