05/01/2011 - Firm fined after telehandler crush
Hochtief Construction AG has been fined £266,000 after a telehandler operator was crushed to death.
Ondrej Hladik was working on the site of the Glendoe hydro project near Fort Augustus, Scotland, when the accident happened on September 22, 2008.
It is believed the boom on his telehandler lowered and crushed him while he was leaning out of a missing window.
In the current financial climate the last thing most companies will want to do is pay fines for preventable accidents, which is why some companies might decide to amend their safety policies and improve their liability insurance.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) decided to prosecute the firm after it emerged that the telehandler was in poor condition and the incident would have been avoided if the window had been in place.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard how Mr Hladik was employed by a company contracted to work on the project, which included a new dam and turbine station.
The company pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare, which it was obliged to do for all those working on the site.
Copyright © Press Association 2010
Related links
|
