A company has been fined £1.5 million after an electrician died when an overhead crane gave way beneath him.
Keith Poppleton was repairing wiring on 25th October 2016 that had been causing a short circuit on the lifting equipment of a large overhead gantry crane, known as C25. As he was walking along the crane’s walkway, an access panel gave way beneath his feet, causing him to fall eight metres. Mr Poppleton sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at hospital.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company he worked for, Cleveland Bridge UK Limited, had failed to maintain the crane walkway’s access panels, which had been used to replace lighting fittings some months earlier.
Furthermore, the panel itself had been subject to weld repair, and there was no evidence of any steps being taken to ensure that the panel was safely replaced into the void and secured to ensure it did not fail.
Cleveland Bridge UK Ltd of Cleveland House, Yarm Road, Darlington were found guilty of breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974, Regulation 5(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Regulation 8(b)(i) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. In addition to the £1.5 million fine, the company was also ordered to pay costs of £29,239.
Mr Poppleton, a former college lecturer in electrical engineering, leaves behind a wife and three daughters.
His wife Catherine Poppleton said: “The day Keith died a large part of me died with him. He was my world, he was the reason my life was interesting, exciting, safe and I felt loved.
“He was risk-averse and this respect for safety was something he practised as well as taught.
“I feel that the ‘me’ before losing Keith has gone. I do not feel like myself anymore, I do not feel whole.”
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Jonathan Wills said: “Mr Poppleton and others were at risk from serious injury whilst walking on a gantry 26 feet high, as the company had failed to assess the risk of these access platforms, which should be secured in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
“This was an incident, which could easily have been prevented had the company considered the risks associated with such access panels not being secured in place following maintenance work and general wear and tear.”
Feyaza Khan has been a journalist for more than 20 years in print and broadcast. Her special interests include neurodiversity in the workplace, tech, diversity, trauma and wellbeing.
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