Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard how 54-year-old Stephen Hampton was killed while working at a site on Swains Lane in Camden, London on 16th March 2017. He was cutting up an old fuel storage tank but it exploded; the end of the vessel struck him, causing fatal injuries.
An investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found both contractors – Materials Movement Ltd and PJ Labour Services Ltd – failed in their duties to effectively plan, manage and monitor control measures to address the risks associated with the demolition of a site that contained fuel tanks.
Materials Movement Ltd of Clifton Road, Henlow, Bedfordshire pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 15(2) of Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. It was fined £33,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,675.38.
PJ Labour Services Ltd of Technology Park, Colindeep Lane, Colindale, London pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 15(2) of Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. It was also fined £33,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,648.18.
HSE inspector Ian Shearring said after the case: “Mr Hampton had recently adopted two young boys and this incident leaves them, along with his wife, alone and struggling financially all for the sake of a bit more effort on both defendants’ parts. Both Materials Movement Ltd and PJ Labour Services Ltd have today been held to account for killing Mr Hampton after failing to take adequate action to protect the health and safety of persons working on their site.
“Neither company adequately assessed and controlled the risks of this highly dangerous work. It was left to the workers to devise their own methods of working, which was compounded by no site management.”
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