Company fined over worker’s death

A recycling company in Cardiff has been heavily fined after an employee died on its premises.

In May 2007, John Penhalagan, 44, was hit by a crane hook at Celsa Manufacturing (UK). The piece of equipment was used to convey ladles of molten steel and weighed more than 3.7 tonnes.

Mr Penhalagan, of Bridgend, suffered severe head injuries and was taken to University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff where he later died from his injuries.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company had inadequate safeguards on its apparatus, allowing certain parts to move near where operators stood.  However the crane itself was in good working order and didn't have any mechanical defects.

As a result of the findings Celsa Manufacturing (UK) of East Moors Road, Cardiff, was prosecuted. The company pleaded guilty at Cardiff Crown Court to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. 

The fine was set at over £200,000 with costs of £36,294.38 also to be paid by the company.

After sentencing, HSE inspector Stephen Jones said:

"This was a horrific incident - an extremely heavy, moving piece of equipment was able to strike Mr Penhalagan directly in the head because Celsa Manufacturing didn't have safe systems of work in place.

"The system of work did not enable crane operators at the site to clearly see employees working on the ground, putting them at serious risk of being struck by moving objects."

He claimed that Celsa Manufacturing should have carried out a thorough risk assessment to foresee the problem and taken steps to prevent it.