Firm fined £96,000 over worker crushed by quarry digger

A QUARRYING company has been fined almost £100,000 after one of the firm's workers was crushed to death by a digger in an accident at a Scottish quarry.

Arthur Jamieson, 58, a mechanical fitter of Aultmore, near Keith, Banffshire, was killed on 21 November, 2008, as he was working under the machine at the Parkmore Quarry, Dufftown, Aberlour, when the vehicle rolled backwards, crushing him.

His employers, Leiths (Scotland) Limited, an Aberdeen-based company specialising in quarrying operations, general construction activities and civil engineering, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following a detailed investigation into the fatal accident. And the company was fined 96,000 following an appearance on Monday at Elgin Sheriff Court.

The court was told that Mr Jamieson, a mobile plant fitter, had been fixing a transmission leak on the five-and-a-half-tonne digger when he died.

The vehicle was raised on a ramp, but its rear wheels were inadequately secured.

Mr Jamieson was crushed when the vehicle rolled off the ramp, and was suffocated as a result of a wheel compressing his chest.

The court heard Mr Jamieson had not previously carried out the task and had been expected to establish his own method of raising and supporting the vehicle above the ground.

He was left to organise suitable blocks to support the digger without direct supervision or suitable instructions.

The company, based at Rigifa, Cove, Aberdeen, pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined 96,000.

A spokesman for the HSE said: "HSE's investigation concluded that Leiths (Scotland) Limited failed to provide adequate information, instruction, training and supervision to Mr Jamieson to prevent any risk to his health while working for them.

"Mr Jamieson had not previously carried out the task and was expected to establish his own method of raising and supporting the vehicle above the ground.

"He was left to organise suitable blocks to support the digger without direct supervision or suitable instructions."

Speaking after the company's court appearance, Norman Buchanan, an HSE Inspector, said that Mr Jamieson's death should have been prevented.

He said: "This tragic incident should have been avoided.

"Although Arthur Jamieson was undoubtedly an experienced mobile plant fitter, he had not previously carried out this particular task for this firm.

"He should have received adequate information, training and supervision from his employers, which Leiths did not provide."

Mr Buchanan said: "It is wholly unacceptable his employers left him unsupervised to devise his own means of working on such a risky repair job.

"Had Mr Jamieson been adequately supervised, he would not have been able to start working underneath the digger when it was inadequately secured at the rear and therefore able to move from its position on the ramps.

"As a result his death could have been prevented."

The quarry, off the A941 Craigellachie to Dufftown road, is understood to employ about eight men.

No-one was available for comment on the case at the firm's headquarters on the outskirts of Aberdeen.

Mr Jamieson, who is survived by his widow Mabel, had moved to the north-east from the Central Belt a year before he died in the accident.