Power firm fined after driver’s death
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POWER COMPANY EPR Ely has been fined £120,000 with £30,735 costs after an HGV driver died when he was struck by a straw bale at its premises.
Prosecuting at Cambridge Crown Court on 11 February, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said delivery driver Gary Darnell, 53, from Ely, in Cambridgeshire, working for Eastern Earthworks, was delivering to the Elean Power Station in September 2008. He died when a 700kg bale of straw fell from the truck during an unloading operation using an overhead gantry crane.
EPR Ely, which produces electricity from burning straw at the power station in Sutton, Cambridgeshire, pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
During its investigation, the HSE discovered several failings regarding the movement of straw bales around the loading and storage area.
Gavin Bull, HSE inspector, says: “[Operators] should use a banksman to assist the driver, or have other equipment such as effective CCTV to make loading operations safe.” An EPR Ely spokesman says the firm deeply regrets the accident. He adds: “The company co-operated both with the HSE investigation and the court process.
“A number of actions have been taken to improve upon the procedures and systems that were in place at the time of the accident, and the company at all times adopts a robust approach in respect of its health and safety obligations.”