The director of a construction company has been imprisoned for eight months after failing to take appropriate action which resulted in a young worker receiving serious burns.
Cardiff Crown Court heard the young worker was instructed to stand on top of a skip and pour a drum of flammable thinners onto the burning waste to help it to burn. The fireball that resulted when the thinners ignited caused the worker to be blown from the skip and he suffered substantial burns to his arms and legs.
Company director jailed following second fatality
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An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company director did not ensure the burning of the waste material was being carried out in a safe or appropriate manner. He failed to administer any first aid to the young injured worker and did not send him to hospital, the most appropriate response given the severity of the injuries suffered. He failed to inform HSE of the incident, a legal requirement, and the incident was only reported sometime later by a third party
“We hope this sentence sends out a message that directors of businesses must take their health and safety responsibilities seriously.” – HSE
David Gordon Stead of Mildred Street, Beddau, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and also pled guilty to breaching Section 4 (1) of The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) and was sentenced to 32 weeks imprisonment, half on release under licence. He has also been disqualified from being a company director for seven years.
Speaking after the case HSE inspector Adele Davies said “David Stead failed his employees. His actions could have resulted in the death of this worker. The young man suffered unnecessary life threatening injuries due to poor working standards.
“We hope this sentence sends out a message that directors of businesses must take their health and safety responsibilities seriously.”
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32 months is not nearly a long enough sentence and half on release under licence. No doubt he will start up under a different name.
as soon as the dust settles.
The young worker will no doubt be scarred for life. The director should pay a hefty amount of compensation to the injured worker and serve at least 5 years in jail
Sentence doesn’t match the crime I’m afraid, poor young lad!
A prison sentance would cost us all money. A permanant ban from directorship, a substantial fine to cover the victims compensation, a high profile apology followed by a long period of communuty service would be my preference.