Informa Markets

Author Bio ▼

Safety and Health Practitioner (SHP) is first for independent health and safety news.
May 13, 2014

Get the SHP newsletter

Daily health and safety news, job alerts and resources

Dock company fined £15,000 following worker’s severe injuries during cargo unload

An Essex dock company has been fined for safety failings after a dock worker suffered severe leg injuries when an operation to unload a cargo container went wrong. An HSE inspector said that workers were exposed to significant dangers exacerbated by failings in the company’s supervision. 
 
Andrew Gotts, 26, of Felixstowe, Suffolk, suffered multiple fractures and destruction of soft tissue on his lower right leg when it was trapped and crushed as a jammed container suddenly freed itself.
 
The agency dock worker has needed extensive reconstruction surgery and it is not yet known when or if he will be fit for work.
 
The incident, on 4 October 2012, was investigated by the HSE, which prosecuted Harwich Dock Company for serious safety breaches.
 
Chelmsford Crown Court heard on 9 May that Mr Gotts was helping to unload containers from a ship using the ship’s crane and chains on one of the dock company’s two berths within the Port of Harwich.
 
He had been standing on an access platform on the deck of the ship while colleagues tried to free a jammed container during a crane manoeuvre. The container moved suddenly towards him, trapping him against the handrail of the platform and crushing his leg.
 
HSE found that the company did not have a safe procedure in place for freeing jammed containers. There was no clear instruction as to who should be in charge of the operation, ensuring the area was kept clear and controlling the crane movement. As a result, nobody asked Mr Gotts to leave the danger zone as the container was freed.
 
HSE also found workers were being exposed to the risk of falls during the off-loading operations as dock workers would walk across the top of containers to attach chains, with nothing to prevent falls. Although Harwich Dock Company had a policy that harnesses should be worn, this was not enforced by supervisors present.
 
Harwich Dock Company Ltd, of Kings Quay Street, Harwich, pleaded guilty to two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay £14,761 in costs.
 
During sentencing, HHJ Goldstaub QC said: “It is essential in any lifting operation that there is a clear chain of command and it is normal to have a designated banksman, slingers and crane driver. Provided all know their function, lifts can be managed safely. If not, dangers arise as demonstrated here.”
 
After the hearing, HSE Inspector Toni Drury said: “This incident was entirely preventable. Mr Gotts was injured by a jammed container when it suddenly freed and he sustained horrific and life-changing injuries.
 
“The risk of containers jamming is well-known in the port industry. There should have been a clear procedure known to the workers, including keeping people clear of the jammed container and having one individual designated to manage operations.
 
“If Harwich Dock company had properly assessed and managed the risks to all dock workers during the unloading of containers, and particularly to agency workers who are less familiar with tasks and settings, an alternative method of working would have been used and risks reduced. As it was, they were exposed to significant dangers exacerbated by failings in the company’s supervision.”

The Safety Conversation Podcast: Listen now!

The Safety Conversation with SHP (previously the Safety and Health Podcast) aims to bring you the latest news, insights and legislation updates in the form of interviews, discussions and panel debates from leading figures within the profession.

Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts, subscribe and join the conversation today!

Related Topics

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments