News

Unsafe machinery to blame for death

01 Aug 2011

A skip hire firm worker died after he was thrown into the air by a tyre explosion at a waste-sorting yard in Salisbury, a court heard.

Jozef Trhan was repairing a split rim wheel on a loading shovel, an industrial waste removing machine, when it exploded.

The blast launched the 33-year-old into the air before he fell onto a excavator loading shovel head-first, Salisbury Crown Court heard.

An investigation following the incident in February 2008 found workers had been given dangerous and unsafe machinery to use by employer C Bialek Ltd (trading as CB Skips).

The firm was also found to have failed to consider the potential hazards or carry out a risk assessment for tyre repairs, the court heard.

CB Skips admitted it failed to ensure worker's safety in relation to vehicle repair at the sorting yard.

Employers are responsible for the health and safety of their employees in the workplace and can claim compensation if an accident occurs. This case highlights the importance of businesses' having comprehensive employers liability insurance in place to help cover the cost should an accident occur for which the firm is found to be liable.

CB Skips, of St Thomas Farm, London Road, Salisbury, was fined £150,000 and ordered to pay costs of £55,000 at Salisbury Crown Court after admitting breaching health and safety laws.

Motaquote also recommends small businesses to look at getting public liability insurance to ensure they're covered in the event of a damages claim by a member of the public, such as a customer or client.

Copyright Press Association 2011