Company and directors fined after marble slabs killed worker
A worker was killed when unrestrained marble slabs toppled from their position on a trailer, 2 other men were injured in the incident. The 6-tonne load was parked on a slope on the road outside the premises of Marble City Ltd in Wandsworth, causing the stone slabs to lean towards the kerb. They fell shortly after the 3 men entered the trailer.
MCL had operated an unsafe system of work for unloading deliveries for several years. They should have insisted on deliveries being unloaded on flat level ground and ensured that the slabs were restrained at all times. One director failed to establish the delivery driver’s competence or brief him on the unloading operation, it was company policy to let only competent drivers be involved with unloading, but the driver was permitted to participate by claiming to have years of experience.
Marble City admitted breaching S.2(1) and S.3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for which it was fined £100,000 with costs of £47,564.
Two directors also each pleaded guilty to 2 breaches of S.37 of the same Act 1974 by allowing their company to commit breaches due to their negligence for which they were fined £10,000 each. 20th April 2010.
