26.07.2024

£3 million fine for boom lift fatality

London, UK, based recycling company Veolia ES (UK) has been fined £3 million, plus £60,000 in costs, following a fatal incident almost five years ago that involved a boom lift. See: Fatal work at height incident

On the 17th of October 2019 Stephen Picken, 62, and Mark Kumar were working for Veolia Environmental Services (UK) at an onshore facility in Great Yarmouth. The two were working as ‘Top Men’, dismantling a North Sea gas rig. Part of a major decommissioning programme that is underway in the region.

At the time the two men were removing an overhanging skirt pile - an piece of steel pipework - weighing in excess of 27 tonnes, from the old offshore jacket, when it suddenly broke away and struck the boom lift they were using, a Genie Z-135/70, throwing them to the ground - a fall of around 12 to 14 metres. Witnesses said that the men were wearing harnesses at the time with lanyards, but could not confirm if the lanyards had been attached to the anchor points or not.

Stephen Picken died at the scene, while Mark Kumar suffered serious life changing injuries.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive identified serious failings with the planning of the work and the relevant risk assessments which did not adequately cover the planned works. Shortcomings in supervision of the incident were also identified. The company did not risk assess the removal of the skirt pile from the rig at all, as it was considered low risk. As a result, there was no cutting plan or safe system of work for their removal.

HSE inspector David King said: “This incident, in an emerging industry, highlights the level of controls required to safely demolish what are large, dangerous structures. Veolia did not meet these standards and tragically one life was lost, and another forever changed.”

The company apologised for the incident stating that: ”Stephen Picken was very highly regarded in the company.” In fact, it had suspended the work on the rig when he was on vacation earlier in the month. The company added that it had: "allowed him too much latitude and placed too much reliance on his experience. We let ourselves down on this occasion, we fell short of our own standards. We have taken these events extremely seriously."

Vertikal Comment

One of the many sad things about this announcement is that valuable lessons that can be learnt from this incident are only being communicated five years after the incident occurred. A month after the original incident occurred we contacted the yard and everyone we approached refused to speak or even respond. If I recall correctly none of the key individuals would not even accord us with the dignity of a response. Fortunately, we were provided with unofficial information and photographs from the site and were able to report on the incident, once we had found out about it. But not sufficiently for all the lessons to be picked up.
In comparison look to the fatal Swedish hoist incident last December – where a full and comprehensive report, complete with photographs, drawings and exactly what happened. With this incident all we really have is that it was not planned properly, the company has accepted the blame and been fined! It is not good enough.

Note: we have a full report written up on the Swedish incident, for publication in the next Cranes & Access, a summary can be found as an update in one of the the original reports.