Walter Heselwood Limited pleaded guilty to a number of safety failings following the fatal incident at its Stevenson Road site on 16 June 2009.
Sheffield Crown Court heard how Anthony Johnson, 55, was working at the site when a pressurised gas cylinder was put through a shearing machine, causing it to explode.
A large section of the cylinder hit Mr Johnson in the head causing fatal injuries.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Walter Heselwood Ltd had no effective health and safety management system in place and failed to adequately assess the risks involved with processing different scrap material.
The company also failed to put in place a range of measures to reduce the risks, such as by providing a blast wall.
Pleading guilty to the Health & Safety at Work Act, Walter Heselwood Ltd was fined £120,000 and ordered to pay £40,000 in costs.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Kirsty Storer commented: “Companies processing different materials should have good, documented systems to ensure materials such as pressurised cylinders are sorted and dealt with correctly. Workers also need to be properly trained and supervised.
“In addition where safeguards are provided they need to be well maintained, and an assessment should be carried out to determine any additional precautions that might be required, such as a pit or blast wall.”
‘No defence’
Commenting on the incident, Robin Turner – director of Walter Heselwood Ltd – told letsrecycle.com there was “no defence for a fatality” adding that the company had pleaded guilty to safety failings “at the earliest possible time”.
He said: “Anthony Johnson (“Jono”) was a person held in high regard and an ideal employee. Our thoughts are with his sisters and his family.
“The incident happened in June 2009 which has left the family and Company with a delay of over six years for judgement. For whatever reason the HSE finally brought the case to the County Court in late November 2015.”
BMRA
Mr Turner noted that the company had also reported the findings from the inquest and Crown Court to the British Metals Recycling Association in the hope they can in turn help educate the sector.
He added: “The company would suggest that all companies who use static or mobile shears should review their practices and procedures to be sure that ‘if it can happen, it will happen’ is risk assessed and systems implements in full. The company sincerely does not want another person to be injured or a family to lose a loved one.”
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