County Antrim trailer manufacturer fined for health and safety offences
Date published:
Following a joint investigation by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) and Police Service for Northern Ireland (PSNI), a Co Antrim trailer manufacturer has been fined for health and safety offences.
McCauley Trailers Limited of Gloverstown Road, Toomebridge, who earlier pleaded guilty to two health and safety offences, were today fined £175,000 at Antrim Crown Court.
The investigation followed the death of Maciej Wieczorek, an employee at their site in Toomebridge on 4 September 2019.
The employee in question was working under the body of a raised tipper trailer, preparing it for shot blasting - an activity that blasts fine grains of metal to remove rust and dirt from metal prior to painting. To allow access to the underside of the trailer, the trailer body was raised using a forklift truck and then propped up using a single metal prop placed between the chassis of the trailer and the trailer body. The employee sustained fatal crush injuries when the trailer body fell and trapped him between the chassis and the body of the trailer.
Prosecutors in the Public Prosecution Service’s Fraud & Departmental Section worked closely with HSENI and the PSNI to build a robust prosecution case.
Speaking after the hearing, HSENI Major Investigation Team Inspector Kiara Blackburn said: “Working under raised loads is a known industry hazard. It is essential that employers identify the risks associated with their work activities and implement adequate controls.
“Safe systems of work, including the use of safe, suitable, and correct work equipment to raise and support raised loads must be in place. Employers must ensure that all employees are aware of the risks and are suitably trained and supervised. This tragic death was completely preventable.”
The investigation established that there were no risk assessments or safe systems of work in place detailing how to safely raise, support and work under a raised tipper trailer during the shot blasting process.
It was found that McCauley Trailers Limited failed to identify and control the risks associated with working under raised loads during this activity. The investigation revealed that the prop being used on the day of the incident to support the trailer had been modified making it much less effective in respect of remaining in place to hold the trailer in the raised position.
Mrs Blackburn added: “Enforcement action was taken by Health and Safety Inspectors from HSENI following the incident to ensure steps were taken to protect employees while working under raised loads. HSENI will not hesitate to take enforcement action to ensure that workplace risks are appropriately managed.”
Further advice on working under raised loads safely and guidance on how to adequately prop vehicles can be found at the following links:
- Health and safety in motor vehicle repair and associated industries - (hse.gov.uk)
- Working safely under motor vehicles being repaired INDG434 - (hse.gov.uk)
Notes to editors :
- Breaches and fines for McCauley Trailers Ltd are as follows:
a) Article 4(1) of the Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978, fine £165,000;
b) Regulation 3(1)(a) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000, fine £10,000. - For media enquiries please contact: HSENI Press Office on 028 9024 3249 or email media@hseni.gov.uk. For out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer on 028 9037 8110.