Worker's crush death leads to fine for East Lothian farmers

Date:

26 April 2010

Release No:

SCO/138/10

A family farm in East Lothian has today been fined £20,000 after one of its workers was crushed to death by a one-tonne concrete panel.

On 3 June 2008, a farm worker at Hamilton Farmers (East Lothian), was helping to build a perimeter wall at an open hay shed, when the pre-cast concrete panel toppled over and crushed him. He died from his injuries at the scene.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that there had been no risk assessment carried out for the project. While the telescopic handler and the slings and hooks provided with the concrete panels were all in good order, no suitable lifting attachment had been fitted to the telehandler forks.

The investigation also revealed it was inevitable that the slings on the forks were going to slip and slide, especially as the panels needed to be properly handled and rotated. Suspending the concrete panel from lifting slings supported by the forks did not allow the panel to rotate freely as it would have done if supported by another device such as a crane hook.

Hamilton Famers (East Lothian), which is based at Garvald Mains Farm, Garvald, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at Haddington Sheriff Court.

Following the case, HSE Inspector Gillian McLean said:

"Tragically this worker was needlessly crushed to death because his employers failed to properly assess the risks and implement a safe system of work."

"Unfortunately, the use of precast concrete panels to build farm buildings is common place. It is also common place for farmers and workers in the agricultural sector to 'have a go' at building constructions when they are not properly trained or equipped in structural engineering and health and safety practices."

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce death, injury and ill health.
2. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 states that: "It shall be the duty of every e employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of their all his employees, so far as is reasonably practicable."
3. Further information on construction safety is available online at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction

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