Ballygowan firm is fined £100,000 after plant death

Ballygowan firm is fined £100,000 after plant death

23 October 2013

A BALLYGOWAN firm has been fined £100,000 for the corporate manslaughter of an employee.

Forty seven year-old Norman Porter died when he fell into an animal feed mixing plant in the factory operated by J. Murray & Son on February 28.

He had been working at the plant for just eight weeks when he became entangled in the moving parts of a meal blending machine, Belfast Crown Court was told.

An investigation revealed that the company had removed safety panels from the top of the mixer to allow raw ingredients to be added more easily. This had the undesired effect of exposing the dangerous moving parts of the machine, which the company failed to identify and correct.

The investigation also revealed that the blender had been operated without the safety guards for approximately three years.

The firm was prosecuted for corporate manslaughter and, in addition to the fine, was ordered to pay £10,450 costs.

The sentence follows a joint (PSNI) and Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland (HSENI) investigation into the fatal incident.

Kevin Campbell, an Inspector with HSENI’s Major Investigation Team said the case highlights the importance of proper management of health and safety in the workplace.

“Management need to ensure that all aspects of their work are adequately addressed, with appropriate measures put in place where necessary,” he said. “The removal of safety guards from the machine and the continued use of the machine ultimately led to the death of Norman Porter.

“I strongly urge that all levels of management actively ensure that health and safety within their workplace is taken seriously to prevent another worker from needlessly losing his or her life.”

A spokesperson for the PSNI said this was the second time in Northern Ireland that a

company has been convicted under new Corporate Manslaughter legislation.