Two companies have been fined a total of £640,000 ($1,023,000) following the death of several Scottish fish farm workers on a barge moored at a salmon farm on Loch Creran, Argyll & Bute.
According to information from the country’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Scottish Sea Farms worker Campbell Files and engineer Arthur Raikes, both employed by Logan Inglis Limited, Cumbernauld, were fixing a hydraulic crane on the barge when they went below deck to find cabling and pipe work.(WCxKit)
The oxygen levels below deck were very low and Files passed out, though Raikes managed to climb out. In an attempt to rescue Files, two colleagues, Maarten Den Heijer and Robert MacDonald entered the small chamber below deck but lost consciousness almost immediately.
The three men needed to be rescued by emergency services but only Files recovered, while his colleagues died at the scene.
Following the incident on May 11, 2009 inspectors from the (HSE) discovered Scottish Sea Farms and Logan Inglis Ltd. provided neither suitable information, instruction, or training for employees working in the small sealed chambers on the Loch Creran barge nor did they provide a safe way for them to work. Findings showed employees were not aware of the risks faced working on the barge.(WCxKit)
At Oban Sheriff Court on July 4 Scottish Sea Farms was fined £600,000 ($960,000) after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act. Logan Inglis Ltd. also pled guilty and was fined £40,000 ($64,000).
Author Robert Elliott, executive vice president, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. has worked successfully for 20 years with many industries to reduce Workers Compensation costs, including airlines, healthcare, printing/publishing, pharmaceuticals, retail, hospitality and manufacturing. See www.LowerWC.com for more information. Contact: Info@ReduceYourWorkersComp.com.
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