A Carmarthen waste and recycling site was operating in such dangerous conditions that it was issued with eight notices by health and safety inspectors to immediately halt a number of activities, a court has heard.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors visited the site, administered by Mekatek Ltd at Amex Park, Johnstown, in a routine inspection in May 2013. However, on several occasions inspectors found there to be a number of serious safety issues, with workers having access to unguarded hazardous machinery, being exposed to an electrocution risk of and there being areas of the site contaminated by asbestos containing materials.
At a hearing before Swansea Crown Court on 27th February, the firm was prosecuted by HSE, with the court told that the site had a displayed a catalogue of errors.
The company, based in Sheffield pleaded guilty to breaching a number of health and safety regulations, including a breach of work equipment regulations and a breach of the control of asbestos regulations. It was fined a total of £35,000 along with £20,000 in prosecution costs.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Clare Owen, said: “The conditions at this site were extremely poor and the dangers were quite clear. It’s very fortunate no-one was killed or seriously injured there.
“Mekatek failed to manage basic health and safety at the site and these multiple failings confirm its approach was totally inadequate. The issues identified, such as cables trailing through liquid and management of asbestos should have been immediately obvious.
“The management also relied on health and safety managers it employed for advice but failed to check if they were competent and had appropriate qualifications, particularly for the management of asbestos.
“Twenty tradespeople, on average, die from asbestos related diseases in Britain every week and it’s the biggest single cause of work related deaths in the country.
“The lives of the 34 workers at the site and any visitors depended on the company meeting its legal health and safety obligations fully.”