Why the Net has the advantage in the ‘Undies world’
- Shopping blogger Emma Iannarilli
Crush death firm fined £100K
Tuesday 27th February 2007, 11:55AM GMT.
A Black Country steel firm has been fined £100,000 following a catalogue of health and safety failures which led to a worker being crushed to death.
“Systematic failures” at Coseley firm Interpipe meant a tragedy was “almost inevitable”, a judge at Wolverhampton Crown Court said yesterday.
West Bromwich Albion fan Paul Hopkins, aged 34, had worked at the Budden Road site for three years. He died after 40ft steel tubes fell on top of him in February 2005.
Read the full story in the Express & Star
A Black Country steel firm has been fined £100,000 following a catalogue of health and safety failures which led to a worker being crushed to death.
“Systematic failures” at Coseley firm Interpipe meant a tragedy was “almost inevitable”, a judge at Wolverhampton Crown Court said yesterday.
West Bromwich Albion fan Paul Hopkins, aged 34, had worked at the Budden Road site for three years. He died after 40ft steel tubes fell on top of him in February 2005.
The court heard how the company’s three managing directors benefited from a bumper year of £1 million profit but had poor health and safety policies. Mr Hopkins, of Ivyhouse Lane, Coseley, was one of 20 employees.
Bosses admitted two breaches of health and safety procedures and will pay £30,618 prosecution costs and a £100,000 fine.
Judge Christopher Hodson said: “These premises were overloaded and I agree that this was not simply human error or oversight – it was complete systematic failure.”
Mr Hopkins was killed after climbing on stacks of steel stored in U-shaped frames. The court heard how this was accepted practice.
Stephen Campbell, defending, said: “Major steps have been taken to ensure that an accident of this sort could never happen again,” he added.
Business Awards
Book a Business Awards table
Join our celebrations of the region's best in business on Thursday March 22 - book your table now
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Express & Star and Shropshire Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases
OUR NEW APP
Get the new E&S app
Download the Express & Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.