Mick George

Construction haulier Mick George has been fined more than £565,000 after a tipper vehicle driven by one of its employees came into contact with overhead power lines (OPLs) during the construction of a waste transfer station.

Northampton Crown Court heard that on 9 March 2016 a driver employed by Mick George was emptying a load of soil from his tipper vehicle at a site in Northampton.

Mick George, which has more than 400 vehicles specified on multiple O-licences, had already identified the need for permanent protection structures (goalposts), but after an initial delay only one was installed.

To empty the remains of the load from his vehicle, the driver pulled forward with the body raised and the vehicle touched, or came close to touching, the 33kV overhead power lines. The tipper vehicle suffered minor damage but the driver was unhurt.

An HSE investigation showed that Mick George should have assessed the risks from OPLs more rigorously and realised its system of work was inadequate to reduce the risk of tipper vehicles striking one.

Mick George pleaded guilty to a breach of regulation 25(3) of Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. The company was fined £566,670 and costs of £9,000.

HSE inspector Stuart Parry, speaking after the sentencing, said: “Every year in the UK, two people are killed and many more injured when mechanical plant and machinery comes into contact or close proximity to OPLs. This was a serious incident and it is fortunate nobody was injured.

“A suitable and sufficient assessment would have identified the need to contact the distribution network operator, Western Power, to request the OPLs were diverted underground before the commencement of construction. If this was not reasonably practicable, Mick George should have erected goalposts either side of the OPLs to warn drivers about them.”

By David Harris

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