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Effective separation of people and excavators not achieved on demo site
James Hudson Demolition Ltd has been prosecuted following an incident which left a demolition worker with devastating injuries after he was struck by a metal girder.
Mr Gareth Dodds was working on the demolition project near Doncaster, when he was hit on the head by a 20-metre steel girder being moved by a hydraulic excavator in November 2008.
Doncaster Crown Court heard that Mr Dodds was one of four workers on site at the former school site . The demolition underway involved the men working close to excavators that were moving materials around.
The men were sorting materials there were no safeguards in place to keep them a safe distance from the machines and their loads. Mr Dodds was hit by the girder as it was being moved and suffered extensive head injuries and fractured vertebrae. He is still suffering the effects of his life-changing injuries.
Proper thought and planning required
Excavator on site after incident
James Hudson Demolition Ltd of Browside Farm, Medley Lane, Northowram, Halifax, West Yorkshire, had pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at an earlier hearing. The company was fined £7,500 and ordered to pay £20,000 in costs.
After the hearing HSE Inspector Rob Cooper said:
“This appalling incident could have very easily been avoided had proper thought and planning been put in place.
Because of this lack of care, Mr Dodds was unwittingly in an area he should not have been in. Sadly he suffered terrible injuries as a result, but he could have lost his life.
We hope today’s prosecution serves as a reminder to all employers that they have a duty to protect their workers at all times.”