Two companies have been fined a total of £1.3million following the fatality of a scaffolder who fell to his death after being struck by falling debris inside an industrial tower.
John Altoft, 29, died in the “entirely preventable incident” at the Cemex Cement Works in Rugby.
John Altoft
Warwick Crown Court heard that on 18 January 2012, a team from Cape Industrial Services Ltd were installing an access scaffold to enable the relining of the inside of a steel plated tapered cylindrical structure.
The team was working inside the Cyclone 1 tower when concrete debris dropped on to John Altoft causing him to fall seven metres to the bottom of the structure causing fatal head injuries. His colleague Ty Smart was also seriously injured, suffering serious wrist and arm fractures and has been unable to work since the incident.
Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) told the court that both Cemex UK Operations Ltd and Cape Industrial Services Ltd Scaffolding should have co-ordinated and planned this high risk work to a higher standard.
Cemex UK Operations Limited, Coldharbour Lane, Surrey, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act and was fined £700,000 and was ordered to pay £90,783.78 in costs.
Cape Industrial Services Limited, Stockley Bridge, Uxbridge, Middlesex pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act and was fined £600,000 was ordered to pay £90,783.78 in costs.
HSE Inspector, Sue Thompson, said: “John Altoft should have been celebrating his wedding, but instead his family suffered a terrible loss.
“This was an entirely preventable incident and proper planning and protection from the foreseeable danger of falling material would have prevented this from happening.”
Michelle Altoft, John’s mum, said: “John was very loyal and hard working. He turned into the most handsome, caring young man, and I could not be more proud of him. He would help anyone and be there when you needed him.
“I have lost the most precious thing any mother could lose, and will never be replaced – my child.”
Carly Sargent, John’s fiancé, said: “Even now, two years on I still miss John. Mine and John’s life together was taken away from us. We grew up together. He worked hard all his life with the intention of becoming my husband and having a family. This is all he wanted. We both wanted the same things.”
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