A concrete firm in Tandragee has been fined £90,000 after a worker suffered fatal crushing injuries three years ago.
Matthew Biggerstaff (21) was a production operative for Taranto Limited on their main site on the Old Scarva Road when he died on August 3, 2021.
Along with two of his colleagues, he was using an impact hammer to remove dried concrete from the interior walls of a truck-mounted mixing drum.
Taking it in turns, they gained access by hatches on either side of the drum.
While Mr Biggerstaff was inside, the drum rotated and ejected him from the access hatch - pulling him underneath the drum and suffering fatal crush injuries.
Following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive NI, Taranto Limited pleaded guilty to a single health and safety offence.
Speaking after the hearing, HSENI Principal Inspector Justine McIntyre said: “This tragic and preventable incident resulted in a young man losing his life.
“Concrete operators must always consider if they can eliminate the need to enter the mixing drum to perform such activities.
“Where this is not possible, employers must ensure that an adequate and robust risk assessment and safe system of work is in place and that employees involved in the work activity have been suitably trained.”
She added: “Performing cleaning and maintenance activities within the interior of concrete mixing drums presents safety risks which must be controlled.
“Both the truck and the mixing drum must be adequately locked out. Following lock-out, where there is any residual risk of the drum rotating, adequate measures must be taken to secure the drum and prevent it from moving when any person is inside.”
The investigators found that the drum had not been properly locked-off or secured to prevent any powered or inadvertent rotational movement.
The company had also failed to conduct a suitable task specific risk assessment and implement a safe system of work, including the use of appropriate measures to reduce the risk.
Further information on safe cleaning and maintenance procedures for truck mounted mixing drums can be found on HSENI’s website.
