Recycling company fined £40,000 after worker crushed to death
Bin Busy Recycling Ltd was yesterday fined £40,000 for failures to maintain lifting equipment on a refuse vehicle that led to a worker’s death.
The incident occurred on 5 July 2019, when Henry Chambers became trapped between a tailgate and hopper while unloading glass bottles from the refuse vehicle at an unloading bay.
After sustaining crush injuries in the hospital for four days, the 65-year-old lost his life.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found multiple faults within the recycling company’s refuse vehicles lifting equipment, with some parts “worn and even missing”.
While thorough examinations are meant to be carried out every 12 months, the equipment used in this incident had not been examined by a “competent person” since it was purchased in April of 2017, the investigation found.
Bin Busy was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay over £22,000 in costs and the victim surcharge of £181 at Westminster Magistrates’ Court yesterday after pleading guilty to breaches of Regulation 9(3) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 and Regulation 5(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 199.
HSE inspector Gordon Carson said: “Regular proactive maintenance and inspection of work equipment is vitally important to ensure equipment does not deteriorate to the extent that it puts people at risk or, as was tragically the case here, causes fatal injuries.
“Bin Busy failed to effectively maintain the lifting equipment on this refuse vehicle or arrange for it to be thoroughly examined in accordance with specified timescales.”
Bin Busy Limited was contacted by City A.M. for comment.