The fine, which was handed out at Reading Crown Court yesterday (April 19), related to the death of 57-year-old Dennis Krauesslar at the Biffa-run Pinchington Lane civic amenity in Newbury, West Berkshire, in September 2007 (see letsrecycle.com story).
Mr Krauesslar, from Bartlemy Close in Newbury, was crushed to death by a motorised loading shovel bucket used to flatten and drag the waste away from the tipping area.
At the time of the incident, the site had a covered pit into which members of the public disposed of their waste. As Mr Krauesslar was tipping his garden waste into the pit, he was fatally injured after the bucket of the loading shovel struck him.
In West Berkshire Magistrates' Court in February, Biffa pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and also to contravening Regulation 3(1) (b) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (see letsrecycle.com story).
Biffa was also ordered to pay £54,906 in costs. The civic amenity site is now closed.
Speaking after the sentencing Mike Wilcock, HSE head of operations for the south east, said: “This tragic incident could have been avoided if sensible precautions and working practices had been in place to prevent the loading shovel working in such close proximity to members of the public.
“Companies operating such sites must carefully assess their arrangements to ensure that they keep vehicles and pedestrians separate whenever possible.”
Biffa
Speaking after the hearing Keith Woodward, Biffa's company secretary, said: “I would like to re-iterate our condolences to Mr. Krauesslar's widow, his daughter, family and friends. The accident which caused Mr. Krauesslar's death was preventable but despite the steps which we put in at the site to ensure the health and safety of members of the public and our staff we failed to prevent it. For this we are truly sorry.”
He added: “We have learnt lessons from this accident which we hope will mean that in future no other persons will have to endure the grief suffered by Mr. Krauesslar's family.”
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