Biffa fined £280,000 over man’s death

On 10th September 2007, a member of the public was depositing garden waste at Biffa Waste Services Ltd’s civic amenity site in Newbury when he was crushed by a loading shovel bucket being used to flatten and drag waste away from the tipping area.
Investigation found Biffa had failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the garden waste tipping area of the site to ensure people other than employees were suitably protected, the loading shovel being permitted to work in close proximity to members of the public.
At Reading Crown Court Biffa was fined £280,000 with costs of £54,906. 20th April 2010.