Heavy fine for dock accident
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by Mike Jewell • P&O subsidiary Pandoro has been ordered to pay £21,260 in fines and costs following an incident in which a trailer turned over at Liverpool docks.
The company pleaded guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to failing to plan and execute dock operations so danger was not caused.
Prosecuting for the Health & Safety Executive, John Gibson said that last October Alan Brown was driving a tug removing trailers from a vessel at Gladstone Dock. He towed a 40ft trailer containing two tank containers off the vessel. As he turned left the vehicle overturned and he was flung from his seat, suffering bruising which kept him off work for three months.
Both tank containers were full, one with a toxic substance and the other with a flammable liquid. There was some leakage although it was not serious.
The prosecution maintained that the only safe way of operating was to load one full container in the centre of the trailer.
Pandoro's workshop manager, William MacDowell, said he carried out tests after they had obtained the work and concluded two loaded containers could not be carried safely—it was safe to carry a loaded tank container on the rear of the trailer if an empty one was in front of it.
Defending, Jonathan Lawton said Pandoro was well aware of its health and safety duties. He maintained Pandoro was blameless as the trailer had been loaded with two full containers in Dublin by an experienced employee in direct contravention of the instructions given by the company.
Judge Richard Hamilton said no-one would suggest the company was cavalier in its attitude. It was something that should not have happened but, alas, it had.