Grave handling error as forklift unloads steel beams

A worker was killed when a one tonne steel beam fell from a forklift unloading a lorry at a construction site.

On the morning of 5 June 2008, a lorry load of steel beams arrived on site and parked adjacent to a pedestrian walkway in an area not designated for unloading.

An HSE investigation found that a company director of CM Structural Services had noticed a steel beam was hanging over the right side of the lorry, but no measures were taken to restrain the load or to prevent the beam from falling.

CM Structural Services began unloading the steel using a forklift truck but it did not put any measures into place to prevent people walking down the pavement nor did it put up any signs warning people that unloading was taking place.

During unloading, a steel beam weighing 1.382 tonnes fell from the lorry onto the pedestrian walkway and onto Mr Makambila, from Bordeaux, who was on the pedestrian walkway of the site. He died instantly.

Fisher Engineering Ltd was responsible for the manufacture, delivery and installation of the structural steelwork. In turn Fisher Engineering had contracted CM Structural Services Ltd to erect the steelwork.

Fisher Engineering Ltd, of Ballinamallard, Enniskillen, Northern Ireland was fined £50,000 and ordered to pay costs of £16,595. CM Structural Services Ltd, of Killynure Road, Carryduff, Northern Ireland was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay costs of £12,692.

Speaking after today's sentencing hearing at the Old Bailey, Inspector Lisa Chappell said: "This tragic incident was easily preventable. The risks involved in the handling and delivery of steel stock are well known to those in the industry.

"Appropriate measures to control these hazards should have been in place, including ensuring there is effective communication between the duty holders responsible for planning and managing deliveries, inspecting deliveries upon arrival and providing a clearly defined exclusion zone where unloading can be carried out safely.

"These measures are neither costly nor time consuming, yet the failures of the companies involved in this incident contributed to the death of a respected worker whose family continues to grieve the loss of a son, brother and husband."