UK rubber mat maker fined £33k after worker dies

By Andrew Smith, Crain staff (PRW)

London -- A UK-based rubber production company has been fined a total of £33,000 (euro 37221) after a worker was killed in an industrial accident.

Cannon Automotive Limited from North London, which manufacturers rubber car mats, admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act during a hearing before City of London magistrates (27 April).

The court was told that in May 2008 maintenance manager Balbir Rayatt, 55, was killed when a heavy steel fabrication barrier fell on him while he carried out repairs to a rubber-mixing machine.

An investigation by the The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) discovered that the barrier had been stored upright and unsecured against rubber compound powder containers.

Further investigation by the HSE then showed that the firm had failed to make a proper risk assessment so as to ensure a safe system of work for the maintenance of the mixer.

The company was fined £20,000 with £13,000 costs.

After the case HSE Inspector Neil Fry commented: "This tragic death was utterly preventable. Poor standards and failure to keep working environments in a good condition are a major cause of these types of incidents and also occupational diseases.

"Maintenance is a process that affects every aspect of safety and health and when a tragedy such as this occurs it demonstrates the importance of planning when carrying out maintenance work."

From PRW.com (A Crain publication)

Press release from HSE