A business man was handed a suspended prison sentence after the death of a worker. Ken Pinkerton was killed in an accident while he was using a skip loader. Ken Pinkerton had hired several pieces of equipment from Heavy Plant Repairs. The equipment included the skip loader, a mini digger and a dumper. Mr Pinkerton, a father of 6 ran his own landscaping business. He was working in a digger and whilst operating it, the digger fell over. He decided to use the skip loader to try and put the digger back upright. Sadly the machine reversed over some debris which caused it to leave the ground and fall over. Mr Pinkerton was thrown out of the vehicle and crushed.

Multiple Problems with the Loader

The Health and Safety Executive discovered that the skip loader had some problems and shouldn’t have been hired out. The loader didn’t have a seat belt, the roll over protection wasn’t in working condition and there was a missing spring so the cover to the engine couldn’t be held securely. In addition to the multiple problems with the machine Mr Pinkerton hired Heavy Plant Repairs had failed to provide any information on how to use the machines.

As a result of the findings in the HSE investigation Brian Peter Beavis of Heavy Plant Repairs was prosecuted. He appeared at Guildford Crown Court where he admitted his guilt for breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act. He was sentenced nine months in prison, suspended for 12 months and told to pay the partner of Mr Pinkerton £10,000.

Accident Could Have Been Avoided

If Brian Beavis had made sure that the loader was in a safe condition to use and was correctly maintained Mr Pinkerton may not have lost his life. All companies that hire out machinery need to be aware that they have to give safety instructions to their customers as well as the user instructions to help to reduce the risks. It is advisable for anyone who is hiring machinery to make sure that the machines are suitable to work with and that they have been handed the necessary materials so they know how to work the machines correctly and safely.

Don’t Take Risks

Are you aware of how to keep your customers safe? Do you know the regulations you need to follow and how important it is to create and maintain construction equipment in any business? Health and safety consultants are there to help and provide many health and safety services for you to use. Risking the lives of others is never acceptable; it is punishable by law and is something business owners need to live with for the rest of their lives, as well as the friends and families of those killed in the workplace. Call us on 0800 1488 677 and get professional help today.

About David Cant

David Cant is a Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner extraordinaire. He has a wealth of Industry experience and is the MD of Veritas Consulting. David also Blogs about Health and Safety here Health and Safety Consultants

His aim is to flavour Health and Safety with integrity, served with a side of humour You can find David on - Twitter and Google also Linkedin