On August 5, 2005, a welder working for Richards Dry Dock and Engineering Ltd got electrocuted and died in the hold of the The Putford Achilles. The firm has pleaded guilty under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and has been fined £25,000 and ordered to pay costs of £34,744.90.
Mr. Kevin Hall, a Norfolk based welder was working in the hold, while two other welders worked on the deck. The victim’s co-workers accidentally let out water that flowed into the hold, causing it to flood. The water in the space resulted in Mr. Hall getting electrocuted and eventually succumbing to the shock. Attempts to rescue him were frustrated by the enclosed space and by a clear danger of the rescuers themselves being electrocuted.
The HSE inspector, John Claxton, commented after the judgment that the death should underline the extremely dangerous nature of work in confined spaces. The safety measures taken had been inadequate and the worker had been exposed to a risk that is well established. The accident had been avoidable, but due to the carelessness of the employer, Kevin Hall lost his life. The HSE inspector further outlined certain important guidelines to be followed regarding work in confined areas:
Avoid going into enclosed spaces unless absolutely necessaryStaff should be fully trained to handle the risksA well-planned system of work and emergency rescue arrangements should be in placeAtmospheric monitoring should be used to avoid situations like build up of toxic gases and a lack of oxygen
Keep up-to-date with health and safety regulations that can save employees from serious injury and avoid court procedures that can cost companies many thousands of pounds. Visit the Workplace Law website and find out about their risk assessment courses for information about how your company can avoid falling foul of health and safety legalities.
The HSE has made it clear that it will not tolerate irresponsibility and refusal to follow the published guidelines, and the offenders will be punished for putting worker safety at risk.
