The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued a warning about
the risks of working in confined spaces without appropriate training and safety
measures in place. The warning comes after silo maintenance specialists,
Silocheck Limited, of Airfield Buildings, Grayingham Road, Gainsborough,
Lincolnshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 4 (2) and 5 (1) of the
Confined Spaces Regulations 1997.
The company was fined £30,000 for the regulation charges
(£15,000 for each breach) and ordered to pay costs of £15,000 at Swindon Crown
Court.
HSE prosecuted the company following an incident on 10
August 2006 in which company employee Paul Sharp, from Scunthorpe, collapsed
while suffering from heat exhaustion, and during cleaning work inside a silo at
Southern Valley Feeds Limited, Portemarsh Industrial Estate, Calne, Wiltshire.
Speaking after the hearing, HSEP IInspector, Ian Whittles,
said: "This tragic incident highlights the importance of appropriate
training and emergency arrangements, especially when working within confined
spaces. In this case, there were no appropriate systems of work, particularly
with regard to access. For example, had there been a winch available, then
rescuing Mr Sharp from inside the silo would have been much quicker and easier.
"One of the biggest risks of working in confined spaces
is 'the element of surprise'. Often, workers are caught unawares because of the
many hidden dangers. This is why it is so important to have safety systems in
place."
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