Financial Problems of Royal Mail Lead to Reduced Fine for Accidental Death
Following the tragic death of a worker employed with the Royal Mail in the year 2006, the company was issued a fine of £90,000 by the Reading Crown Court with additional costs of £42,000.
The judgment followed the case of the untimely demise of a 57 year old worker named Colin Smith who was trapped amidst a trailer and a tractor that was being operated at the site of Royal Mail’s Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre (HWDC). Mr Smith received fatal injuries as a result of this accident, which he ultimately succumbed to, in September 2006.
The sequence of events of the case was narrated to the Reading Crown Court as a result of which the company was found guilty of infringing Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.The court announced a fine amounting to £90,000 and costs amounting to £42,549.56.
The accident occurred when Mr Smith was engaged in the task of removing a lock from the trailer. A Royal Mail driver, unknowingly parked the tractor that he was driving in line with the trailer where Mr Smith was working. As the driver went to the back unit to see what was happening after leaving his tractor, he saw that Mr Smith was crushed between the tractor and the trailer.
The court ascertained that the driver was not responsible and had not been guilty of infringing Section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The judge felt that the fine he thought correct, £120,000, was too much if the financial problems of the company were to be taken into account. He personally felt that the company was not to be blamed for the unfortunate accident beyond the point that the company should have ensured that sufficient safety measures were in place. Taking the appeal of economic constraints into account, the fine finally handed down was £90,000.
Companies need to be sure that they are giving the correct instructions to employees with regard to health and safety issues; accredited NEBOSH courses can assist companies in training staff to be aware of proper health and safety procedures and to be fully aware of and comply with health and safety regulations.
