07.07.2016

£286,000 for crane hire fatality

A-Lift Crane Hire and Premier Roofing Systems have been fined a combined total of over £286,000 for the death of A-lift Crane employee Peter Smith, 58, who fell through an unprotected skylight on a job that Premier Roofing was carrying out at Virani Foods in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire in August 2013.

The crane was hired to lift roofing sheets onto the factory roof, Smith was working as slinger banksman and fell eight metres through an unprotected skylight and died as a result of his injuries.

An investigation by the Health & Safety Executive found that roof boards were not installed as planned. Judge Rupert Mayo, sentencing, said: “It is immediately apparent that there was a muddle as to ensuring the appropriate equipment, training and instructions were provided to Mr Smith. Premier knew the access tower had not been handed over and that the Yeoman boards ordered by them would not be on site. A-Lift should have scoped this properly during a visit to the site on the 7th August. In simple terms, no employee should have been allowed up there until the Yeoman boards were available.”

Premier Roofing Systems of Corby Northamptonshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and was fined £140,250 plus costs of £41,428, while A-Lift Crane Hire Limited, of Wilby Northamptonshire, also pleaded guilty and was fined £83,300 plus costs of £21,500.
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Virani Foods in Wellingborough