Firms fined after tragic accident

An energy firm and a contractor have been fined a total of £510,000 after a fatal fall at a power station. Energy giant RWE npower and contractor AMEC Group Ltd were sentenced after maintenance worker Christopher Booker fell to his death at Aberthaw Power Station in the Vale of Glamorgan. Agency worker Mr Booker, from St Athan, fell 12m through an unprotected opening in a platform in June 2007. He died of multiple injuries to his chest and pelvis, Cardiff Crown Court heard. Workers were placing equipment into an open pit in the water cooling system, and sections of the floor gratings at the top of the pit had been removed to allow the work to proceed. But as it got dark lights were turned to face other employees – leaving the pit in near-darkness. Mr Booker fell through the opening in the walkway to the floor below, the court heard. A Health and Safety Executive probe found that the removal of the floor gratings left a large unprotected opening in the walkway – with no precautions taken to protect nearby workers. The probe also found that there was confusion over who was responsible for controlling work at the time of the incident – RWE npower or AMEC Group Ltd. RWE npower Plc, of Windmill Hill Business Park, Whitehill Way, Swindon, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The firm was fined £250,000 and ordered to pay £30,000 costs. The principal contractors AMEC Group Ltd, of Booths Park, Chelford Road, Knutsford, Cheshire, admitted breaching regulation 11(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. It was fined £200,000 with costs of £30,000. IBB’s personal injury experts commented:

“Despite the advance of health and safety legislation in England and Wales, this case highlights the disregard that some still show for the need to prevent accidents occurring by implementing safe working practices.”

IBB Solicitors has built a reputation for quality of service in pursuing compensation in cases involving accidents at work. If you would like advice on personal injury issues, you can contact a member of IBB’s Personal Injury team, call us on 08456 381381 or email PI@ibblaw.co.uk.