Facilities management importance highlighted by oil worker injury?
January 5th 15:36 Health and Safety
An accident which caused an oil refinery worker in Cheshire to become paralysed has led to three companies being fined for poor facilities management.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) fined Shell UK Oil Products, Dalprop and Hertel UK for failing to keep up good health and safety practices, leading to a container carrying 500kg of waste falling on employee Stephen Rizzotti.
Mr Rizzotti, a father of three, suffered a broken back, two broken legs and a broken pelvis and is now bound to a wheelchair.
Warrington Crown Court yesterday (January 4th) saw the three firms fined a collective £283,332 for failing to prevent the incident, which may not have happened is facilities management was made a priority.
Alan Graham, HSE Inspector, said: "The scaffolding should have been constructed so that the lifting equipment was away from areas where people had to walk. The landing area should also have been suitably protected."
The importance of effective facilities management was recently put in the spotlight by the prosecution of fuel storage terminal operator Vopak London Terminal in Essex.
