'No compensation for losing our son'
THE family of Scunthorpe contractor Paul Sharp, who died following an incident at work, have told how no law could compensate for their loss.
Gainsborough-based Silocheck Limited was fined £30,000 at Swindon Crown Court after admitting breaching two counts of the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997.
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HEARTBROKEN: The family of Paul Sharp (from left) dad Tony, mum Lucy and grandma Vera Wells, who have spoken out after the firm which admitted breaking rules which led to his death was fined £30,000. INSET: Paul Sharp.
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SUBMITTED PIC.....Sc-0900478-1.... Paul Sharp who died in incident in a silo in August 2006, he died of heat exhaustion. *** Local Caption ***
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FLASHBACK: A fire crew at the scene of the accident at Southern Valley Agriculture.
The firm was also forced to pay £15,000 costs, taking the total amount to £45,000.
The sentence came following a prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive.
As reported in the Scunthorpe Telegraph, contractor Mr Sharp, 30, of Cottage Beck Road, died while working for the company on August 10, 2006.
He collapsed while suffering from heat exhaustion during cleaning work inside a fat silo at Southern Valley Feeds Limited, in Calne, Wiltshire.
Mr Sharp's mother, Lucy Sharp, 53, said she felt some closure after the firm was hit with the fine.
She said: "I think there is some sort of closure with it because they will have to follow very strict health and safety guidelines before they can send anyone else down those silos."
Mr Sharp's father, Tony Sharp, 57, added: "As for grievance, there is no law in this land that can compensate us for it."
Mr Sharp had been with the firm for just five weeks before the tragedy.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector 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."
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2 Comments
by Jonno, Hansons Site cabin
Thursday, June 11 2009, 11:40AM
“It was the same on the steelworks, when they took a furnace off for repair at the Plate Mill they wanted you to work in conditions exceeding 50oC +. The management would go in and have a look at the repair work needed to be done and be back out in a few minuets, they would then expect us in rotating gangs of 5 to go into the furnaces and graft in those conditions. If you complained that it was too hot in there, they would say, "I've been in there and its not too bad".
They should have tried working in it.
Not sure if things have changed any recently.”
by rob, winterton
Thursday, June 11 2009, 9:54AM
“Keep fighting and keep fighting and never give up. Is my suggestion to this poor family. I realise money doesnt replace a lost son but there is a principle at stake here that might make other companies sit up and stop using their workers as just a number. Some years ago many of us were pressurised into workng in completely uneceptable very hot conditions in large tanks on the 600 unit on Conoco. We were exposed to temperatures well exceeding 130 degrees F or about 50 C. we were ganged up in groups of 3 and sent in to this tank to erect scaffolding for 10 minutes at a time and brought back out and replaced with another gang of 3 to do their 10 minutes and so on in a rotation of about 5 gangs until the Scaff was completed.It was that hot our boots were melting to the base of the tank and were were burning our skins on the hot scaff tubes. Just so Conoco could prove they could save a £1 million in delays.At the time I was young and I needed the work but I wouldnt have done it now. Good luck and dont give in for Im sure your son would have wanted this for the sake of others not being exposed to very bad working practices.”