Lm10,000 in fines for health, safety breaches

A contractor was fined Lm5,000 for causing the death of a worker on a construction site due to carelessness, lack of thought and ability in his work.

The victim was working on a construction site next to the one the contractor was responsible for when a crane toppled over and crushed him to death, the Occupational Health and Safety Authority said in a review of the latest cases it has prosecuted.

It said more than Lm10,000 in fines for breach of occupational health and safety legislation had been meted out by the court, presided over by Magistrate Anthony Vella. The prosecution was led by David Saliba on behalf of the OHSA.

The contractor in question was also found guilty of assembling the crane and making use of it without having it examined and certified by a competent person.

Neither did he provide adequate information, knowledge, training and supervision or made sure that a risk assessment was carried out on the hazards and risks involved in all the aspects of his work activity at the construction site.

In another case, a company director was fined Lm2,500 for failing to safeguard the health and safety of all those who could be affected by the work being carried out for him, a shortcoming that led to a worker sustaining a serious and permanent injury involving the amputation of three fingers.

The director was also found guilty of not carrying out adequate maintenance on all machinery, tools and equipment used at the workplace or of doing a risk assessment as required by law.

The workplace also lacked adequate ventilation, welfare facilities, changing rooms for the employees as well as sanitary equipment. There was a lack of appropriate health and safety signs displayed.

The director in question was also found guilty of failing to provide a first aid box and easy access to first aid for the workers, as well as failing to provide the necessary consultation and information to the workers and/or their representatives.

Similar shortcomings regarding risk assessment, adequate sanitary equipment, health and safety signs, access to first aid and lack of consultation and information to the workers and/or their representatives at a construction site led to the responsible person being fined Lm200 in a different case.

A crane driver was fined Lm200 since he did not safeguard his health and safety and that of others while operating the crane. He was also found guilty of misuse of machinery, equipment, tools, dangerous substances and transport equipment and other means of production.

In separate cases, three persons were fined Lm200 each by the Criminal Court for failing to ensure that every lift or hoist installed at their workplaces and under their control were examined and certified by a competent person once every six months.