Carillion JM fined £70,000 for fatal 17m fall

Prosecutions and Claims |
06.08.2008

Construction firm Carillion JM, formerly Mowlem, has been fined £70,000 after an employee fell 17 metres to his death. He had been wearing a harness but there was no suitable anchor point to attach the lanyard to.

The incident happened at the Air BP fuel depot site on the Isle of Grain in Kent in December 2003, where large steel tanks were being built to store oil brought by barge from the North Sea.

On 11 December, 26-year-old Alexander McCully - who had been working at the site for 14 weeks - was altering work platforms so that a roof structure could be lifted into place. As he climbed onto an incomplete platform inside the empty tank, one of the three boards snapped and he fell.

Kent fire brigade rescued McCully from the bottom of the structure using a manhole. He was taken by air ambulance to Maidstone Hospital, where he later died from his injuries. In January 2005, an inquest returned a verdict of accidental death.

The HSE said there should have been around 50 anchor points around the rim of the oil tank but the system of work did not require these to be fitted before the lifting operation began.

HSE inspector John Underwood said the McCully's death was "wholly avoidable"; it is usual practice in tank building to use a dedicated set of anchor points that are welded into place before work begins.

Carillion JM admitted failing to take reasonable steps to ensure employees' safety, contrary to Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

On 30 July at Maidstone Crown Court, the company was fined £70,000 and ordered to pay £24,000 costs.

Mowlem was taken over by Carillion in 2006.