Two companies have been fined following the death of a father-of-three who was crushed by a machine.
Russell Hartley, a self-employed engineer from Sheffield, had been contracted by Premier Engineering Projects Ltd to replace machinery at a materials recycling facility on Twelvetrees Crescent, Bow, London.
Mr. Hartley, aged 48, led a team of four engineers in the replacement of a Trisomat screen, commonly referred to as a ‘flip-flop’, on 24 February 2020, when the incident occurred. This machine sorts different sizes of waste and was positioned within a metal structure at height in a bay at the site.
Initially, the crane, provided by M&M Mobile Crane Hire Ltd, was used to lower the flip-flop from its position. Mr. Hartley then utilised a telehandler to move the flip-flop. However, the machine got jammed when he attempted to reverse the telehandler.
The crane was then brought back to lift the flip-flop off the telehandler, which had its forks slightly raised. As the crane moved towards the telehandler, the flip-flop toppled forwards off the forks and crushed Mr. Hartley. Another worker on the flip-flop at the time was thrown off but escaped serious injury.
Insufficient Risk Assessment
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) determined that both Premier Engineering Projects Ltd and M&M Mobile Crane Hire Ltd failed to ensure the safety of those involved in the replacement of the Trisomat screen. The work was not adequately planned, supervised, or carried out safely, and the risk assessment was deemed unsuitable and insufficient.
Mr. Hartley was working with nine other engineers from Premier Engineering Projects and three workers from M&M Mobile Crane Hire at the time.
In her victim personal statement, Mr. Hartley’s wife, Debbie, expressed her grief: “Russell was everything to us. He was funny and one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. He was a fantastic father and husband. I feel like sometimes I am just waiting for him to come home. I can’t accept that he has gone as I couldn’t say goodbye.”
Legal Consequences
Premier Engineering Projects Ltd admitted breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £28,000 and ordered to pay £9,277.48 in costs at the Old Bailey on 1 August 2024. M&M Mobile Crane Hire Ltd also admitted breaching the same section of the Act and was fined £48,000, with additional costs of £9,500.
HSE Inspector Mark Slater, who investigated the incident alongside Inspector David Beaton, stated: “Had this work been planned, managed, and monitored to a sufficient standard, this incident was entirely avoidable. Risks from lifting and moving equipment of this size and nature are foreseeable, and such work requires the utmost respect and care.”
