The Leading News & Information Service For The Facilities, Workplace & Built Environment Community

Clancy Docwra Hit With £1 Million Fatality Fine

Kevin Campbell was struck by an excavator mounted vibrator on a Clancy Docwra run site and was killed.
07 August 2019 | Updated 09 August 2019
 

Clancy Docwra and one of its employees have been sentenced after a worker was struck by an excavator and was killed. The company was fined £1 million and ordered to pay costs of £108,502.30.

Southwark Crown Court heard how, on 2 March 2014, during night work at a construction site in Stratford, a site operative, Kevin Campbell, was struck by an excavator mounted vibrator (EMV) attached to a 35-tonne excavator that he was working in close proximity to. Campbell had been disconnecting lifting accessories from a metal pile that had just been extracted from the ground when he was crushed against a concrete wall a short distance away. He died from his injuries. Another site operative who was directly next to him also faced a risk of being struck.

 

Investigation

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found the construction company and principal contractor (Clancy Docwra Limited) failed to ensure the safety so far as was reasonably practicable of its employees and of others who were not their employees working on the site. The investigation also found that Daniel Walsh, who was the site supervisor for the site and the person operating the excavator at the time, failed to take reasonable care for other persons on site.

Although Clancy Docwra pleaded not guilty, the companywas convicted of breaching Section 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Daniel Walsh pleaded not guilty to breaching Section 7(a) of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was given a 6 month custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months and ordered to pay costs of £15,000.

 

Company and individual responsibility

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Darren Alldis said: “This death was wholly preventable and serves as a reminder as to why it is so important for companies and individuals to take their responsibilities to protect others seriously and to take the simple actions necessary to eliminate and minimise risks.

“Informing all site operatives of the specific risks they face and the control measures required of exclusion zones, the importance of communication and the mandatory use of excavator safety levers were simple actions that should have been put in place and their effectiveness monitored."

 

Clancy Group

A spokesperson for Clancy Group told ThisWeekinFM: “The effects of this tragic accident have been felt across our business. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies remain with Kevin Campbell, his family and friends at this difficult time.

“We have a responsibility to strive towards an ever-safer construction sector.  As a business, we continue to invest in training, equipment and technology to protect our teams in their work and guard against an incident like this occurring again.”

 

Picture: Kevin Campbell was struck by an excavator mounted vibrator on a Clancy Docwra run site and was killed.

Article written by Brian Shillibeer | Published 07 August 2019

Share



Related Articles

HSE Injury And Ill-Health Statistics Released

October 30 saw the HSE releases the annual injury and ill-health statistics for Great Britain showing that 28.2 million working days were lost due to work-related illness...

 Read Full Article
Waste Companies Maim And Kill

A company in the recycling sector has been fined over a manual handling of loads issue and two other firms in the same business have been fined for separate...

 Read Full Article
School Children Avoid Scaffolding Collapse

A scaffolding company has been fined after scaffolding it had erected collapsed onto a neighbouring primary school. Cardiff Magistrates’ Court heard Swain...

 Read Full Article
Veolia Hit With £1m Vehicle Death Fine

The waste and recycling arm of Veolia has been fined £1 million following the death of a worker who was run over by a reversing refuse collection...

 Read Full Article
Developer Jailed After Building Collapse

July 20 saw a Manchester property developer sentenced after the roof and part of the rear wall collapsed at one of his commercial properties during demolition...

 Read Full Article
Cordant Cleaning Limited Employee Killed at Bus Depot

Albin Trstena was working for Cordant Cleaning Limited when he was hit by a reversing bus being driven by a colleague. Albin, 25 from Tottenham was working at the yard...

 Read Full Article
Facilities Managers Sacked After Hospital Elevator Death in Nigeria

Facilities managers at a hospital in Nigeria have been “sacked and blacklisted" after a house officer died in an elevator crash. Dr Vwaere Diaso,...

 Read Full Article
HSE Releases Latest Workplace Fatality Figures

Health and Safety Executive figures show that 135 workers died in work-related incidents between April 2022 to March 2023, an increase of just over nine per cent from...

 Read Full Article
Security Firm Serco Fined £2.25m After Death of Custody Officer

Serco has been fined £2.25 million after several health and safety failures lead to the death of Custody Officer Lorraine Barwell. Lorraine was assaulted at...

 Read Full Article
HSE Publishes Annual Workplace Fatality Figures

HSE reports show that 123 workers died in work-related accidents from April 2021 to March 2022. 2,544 deaths in 2020 were due to Mesothelioma, cancer that can be...

 Read Full Article