Editor, UBM

November 24, 2015

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Waste company fined following worker’s leg amputation

A waste and recycling company from Newry, Northern Ireland has been fined £15,000 following a health and safety breach which led to an employee sustaining serious injuries resulting in the amputation of his lower right leg.

39-year-old employee, Dariusz Jurczyk, was struck by a reversing vehicle at the Regen Waste Ltd’s premises in Carnbane Industrial Estate, Newry on 24 April 2014.

On the day of the incident, Mr. Jurczyk, along with other employees, was brushing up aluminium material from below and around a conveyor system into small piles for a skid-loader to remove. As Mr. Jurczyk was brushing, the skid-loader operating in his area ran over his leg.

The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) investigation found the company had failed to ensure a safe system of work to prevent accidents. Proper consideration had not been given to how workers and vehicles could be kept apart, with the result that a person was run over resulting in horrific injuries. This lack of good all-round visibility on the skid loader was also a significant factor.

The company, which employs around 150 staff, was fined £15,000 plus costs of £664 at Newry Crown Court.

Speaking after sentencing Kevin Campbell, an inspector with HSENI’s Major Investigation Team, said: “All businesses must ensure that vehicle movements are properly controlled on site and where possible people and vehicles separated. Reversing manoeuvres are particularly dangerous and, where possible, should be avoided. If they cannot, then measures should be taken to prevent people being struck or run over. Vehicles must be well maintained and mirrors or cameras need to be fitted correctly to ensure good all-round visibility.”

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