MAJOR QUARRY FIRM FINED OVER EXPLOSION ERRORS
Blast sent rock flying 200 metres onto public road and damaged cars
Hanson Quarry Products Europe Ltd and WCD Sleeman and Sons Ltd have been fined after a quarry explosion sent rocks flying 200m into the air and onto a public road, causing damage to waiting cars.
The falling blast debris landed well outside of “designated danger zone” during the incident at Brayford Quarry on 24 February 2011, and narrowly avoided striking a workman who had halted traffic whilst the blasting took place.
WCD Sleeman and Sons Ltd organised the blast, and quarry operator Hanson Quarry Products Europe Ltd were both prosecuted (24 July) after an investigation by HSE identified serious control failings.
Barnstaple Magistrates’ Court heard that two cars waiting in the queue on a nearby public road, were hit by flying rock, which dented the bonnet of one and a smashed the windscreen of the other. HSE inspectors discovered an 8.5kg piece of rock on the other side of the road. Six other smaller pieces of rock were also recovered from the road.
Risks must be rigorously controlled by good explosives engineering practice
WCD Sleeman and Sons Ltd, of Valley View, Vallis Park, Frome, Somerset, was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £17,000 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Quarry operator Hanson Quarry Products Europe Ltd of Castle Hill, Maidenhead, Berkshire, was fined £20,000 with £14,000 costs after pleading guilty to single a breach of the Quarries Regulations 1999.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector of Quarries, Mike Tetley, said:
“This was a very serious incident that could easily have led to death or serious injury. Blasting operations at quarries are inherently high risk, and these risks must be rigorously controlled by good explosives engineering practice and in accordance with legal requirements.
Where contractors are involved it is important that appropriate levels of communication and co-operation are in place. It is totally unacceptable for both members of the public and employees to be put at serious risk of being hit by rocks, as happened here in an entirely preventable incident.
I hope this case sends a clear message to the industry that proper planning and control is required at all times.”
Latest Construction Health and Safety News
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY NEWS – END OF NEW CONTENT
The addition of content on this website ceased on 17th April 2020.
Material posted before this date can be found by clicking on our SEARCH NEWS DATABASE function.
HSE WARN OF NEED FOR RPE FACE FIT TEST AND CHECK
Incorrectly fitted RPE will not protect the wearer from dangers to health
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 16th April 2020CORONA VIRUS: LATEST SITE OPERATING PROCEDURES
Industry Bodies publish risk management guidance Version 3
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 15th April 2020TOWER CRANE OUT OF SERVICE SAFETY ALERT
Important advice from Construction Plant-hire Association and HSE
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020HSE PLAN AND CONSTRUCTION PRIORITIES 2020/21
Appointed CDM 2015 Principal Designers remain focus of HSE inspections
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020COVID-19 ADVICE & GUIDANCE FOR CONSTRUCTION
BuildUK support industry with advice, guidance and information
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020HSE TARGETING WELDING FUME CANCER RISK
Inspections to enforce improved controls required by new risk evidence
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 24th February 2020HSE TO OVERSEE NEW BUILDING SAFETY REGIME
Government to deliver biggest change in building safety for a generation
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 21st January 2020FESTIVE GREETINGS TO ALL OUR READERS
Read the rest of this article »
SELECTED NEWS POSTED RECENTLY ON TWITTER
![PP Construction Safety logo and link to home page [1]](https://www.ppconstructionsafety.com/wp-content/themes/ppcs960/images/ppcslogo.jpg)
Links to other construction health and safety related news reports
HSE LOOK TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES FOR CDM SUPPORT
Council Inspectors focus on CDM client duties – asbestos, fragility and RCS
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 14th November 2019HSE WELDING FUME REVISED GUIDANCE PUBLISHED
New research evidence on cancer link prompts revision on welding fume
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 14th November 2019STRUCTURAL SAFETY BODY LATEST NEWSLETTER
CROSS publishes reports and expert comment on a range of issues
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th October 2019HSE RISK REDUCTION THROUGH DESIGN AWARD
Regulator seeks to promote hazard avoidance and risk minimisation
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th October 2019HSE START PROJECT HEALTH RISK INTERVENTIONS
Regulator set to check health risks assessed and controls in place
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th September 2019AIF NATIONAL WORKING AT HEIGHT CONFERENCE
HSE Construction Head to speak at Access Industry Forum conference
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 23rd September 2019NEW HSE HAVS CALCULATOR TO HELP CONTROL RISK
New calculator includes “cautious estimates” for common tools
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 23rd September 2019IMPROVING CDM DESIGNER HAZARD AWARENESS
Research explores power of “multi-media digital tool” for design hazards
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 27th August 2019DEMOLITION FEDERATION ON RECENT INCIDENTS
NFDC ‘statement of awareness’ follows unplanned collapses
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 27th August 2019RAISING COMPETENCE AND MAKING BUILDINGS SAFER
Life-safety-critical disciplines urged to act on Interim Report
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 27th August 2019BUILDING WORKS COMPROMISED GAS SAFETY
Company and director fined after work created risk to residents
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 27th August 2019HSE SPEAK AT ACCESS INDUSTRY CONFERENCE 2019
AIF National Working at Height Conference November 2019
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 6th August 2019STRUCTURAL SAFETY BODY LATEST NEWSLETTER
CROSS publishes reports and expert comment on a range of issues
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 23rd July 2019CONSIDERING TEMP WORKS IN PERMANENT DESIGN
Useful overview for civil and structural engineers on contemporary practice
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 23rd July 2019‘VICTORIAN’ SAFETY AND FATIGUE BEHIND RAIL DEATH
Investigation report links zero hours contracts to hazardous fatigue
Posted on 13th July 2019
