Westminster Magistrates鈥� Court heard how 54-year-old Stephen Hampton was killed while working at a site on Swains Lane in Camden, London on 16th March 2017. He was cutting up an old fuel storage tank but it exploded; the end of the vessel struck him, causing fatal injuries.
An investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found both contractors 鈥� Materials Movement Ltd and PJ Labour Services Ltd聽鈥� failed in their duties to effectively plan, manage and monitor control measures to address the risks associated with the demolition of a site that contained fuel tanks.
Materials Movement Ltd of Clifton Road, Henlow, Bedfordshire pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 15(2) of Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. It was fined 拢33,000 and ordered to pay costs of 拢7,675.38.
PJ Labour Services Ltd of Technology Park, Colindeep Lane, Colindale, London pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 15(2) of Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. It was also fined 拢33,000 and ordered to pay costs of 拢7,648.18.
HSE inspector Ian Shearring said after the case: 鈥淢r Hampton had recently adopted two young boys and this incident leaves them, along with his wife, alone and struggling financially all for the sake of a bit more effort on both defendants鈥� parts. Both Materials Movement Ltd and PJ Labour Services Ltd have today been held to account for killing Mr Hampton after failing to take adequate action to protect the health and safety of persons working on their site.
鈥淣either company adequately assessed and controlled the risks of this highly dangerous work. It was left to the workers to devise their own methods of working, which was compounded by no site management.鈥�
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