Firm fined for employee test death
08/06/2010
A West Sussex-based company must pay more than £206,000 after an employee died during pressure tests on its site.
Flowserve (GB) Ltd, was fined £150,000 and ordered to pay costs of £66,838 at Lewes Crown Court following the death of a 21-year-old employee. The firm pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
The prosecution follows an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an incident on May 7, 2008, at the firm's Haywards Heath site.
Philip Locke, a 21-year-old employee, suffered fatal injuries while carrying out a pressure test on a high pressure valve.
During the test, it is thought the vent valve became detached from the machine and hit Mr Locke at high speed, causing fatal chest injuries.
The HSE probe also found that the company had not carried out an adequate risk assessment and had failed to recognise the risk of parts becoming detached.
The vent value had not been installed correctly and there should have been a guard on the back of the machine, which would have prevented the vent value injuring Mr Locke when it separated from the machine.
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