Steel fabricator and erector business Dartmeet Services Ltd is to be sentenced at Truro Crown Court later after pleading guilty to the offences following the death of Michael Stone in 2008.
Mr Stone, 44, of MJ Stone Scaffolding, died after falling through a skylight at the creamery’s chemical store on November 4 while working as a subcontractor.
During a hearing at Bodmin Magistrates’ Court on January 18, Dartmeet Services, of Union Street, Newton Abbott, Devon, through its legal representative, counsel Mr Wibberly, pleaded guilty to failing to ensure both that scaffolding contractors working at the creamery, including Mr Stone, were not exposed to risks of health and safety and that work by them was properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner.
Mr Stone’s firm was small but successful, working all over Devon and Cornwall for a variety of large companies, such as Anglian and Stormseal.
At the time of his death his wife Mandy described him as the perfect husband.
“He has been my world since the age of 13. I cannot imagine life without him. He was always supportive. He would do anything for me and I would do anything for him,” she said.
“He was just my perfect husband. He would do anything for anyone.”
Also charged are Dairy Crest Ltd, of Claygate House, Littleworth Road, Esher, Surrey, and Dartmeet’s manager Mark Tennant, 39, of Valley View, Treburley, Launceston, Bodmin Magistrates’ Court heard.
Dairy Crest, which did not indicate pleas, is charged with failing to ensure that scaffolding contractors working at the creamery were not exposed to risks of health and safety and that prominent warning notices were affixed at the approach to the roof of the chemical store.
Mr Tennant, manager of Dartmeet, pleaded not guilty to failing to ensure that work at height by subcontractors was properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner.
The case against Dartmeet Services was committed to Truro Crown Court for sentence on February 16 and the case against Dairy Crest and Mr Tennant was adjourned until February 29 for committal to the crown court.
Via: thisiscornwall.co.uk U.K. Edition
A spokesman for the Lawford Road plant confirmed a 29-year-old man working as a scaffolder for a sub-contractor was killed there at around 1.45am.
Emergency services attended the scene, and police officers and the Health and Safety Executive are currently on site investigating what happened.
Cemex community affairs manager Ian Southcott said: “Regrettably one person has died and our thoughts and sympathies are with their family and friends.
“Cemex is cooperating fully with all of the investigations taking place.”
Mr Southcott refused to reveal any details about the accident while investigations are ongoing.
Paramedics arrived on the scene to find the man with a serious head injury and in cardiac arrest.
A spokeswoman for West Midlands ambulance service said: “Sadly, despite their best efforts, nothing could be done to save the man and he was pronounced dead at the scene.”
Another man suffered a broken arm and had to be taken to hospital for treatment.
The cement plant is currently in its annual shutdown period for regular maintenance. There are a number of contractors working on the site as a result.
The man who was killed is not from Rugby.
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The company says that the move will create a number of new jobs in the region, including with skills in scaffolding, protective coatings, insulation and asbestos remediation.
Pyeroy, is based in Gateshead, employs 1,200 and boasts revenues of around £75 million. It provides a range of industrial services including contract access scaffolding, the application of specialist coating technology and environmental containment and surface blasting.
Siteserv confirmed the debt in a Stock Exchange announcement as Petroplus continues to face a cash flow crisis which has seen more than half of its global refineries shut down.
Coryton is believed to be working at half capacity putting huge questions marks over Deborah Services long-term future at the Essex plant.
Deborah Services renewed its maintenance contract for the provision of access, insulation and asbestos removal last October in a three-year deal due to be worth £34m.
But the firm said yesterday: “Since 27 December 2011, Petroplus has made a number of announcements concerning its financial condition and that it is in discussions with its lenders.
“As at the date of this announcement, the Coryton Refinery remains open and Deborah Services continues to be actively engaged with Petroplus regarding its financial situation.
“Deborah Services is currently owed approximately £1.49m by Petroplus.
“Siteserv will continue to actively monitor the situation as it evolves.”
Via: 
Father-of-three David Collins was unloading behind Argos, in Festival Park, Etruria, when a tonne of scaffold tubes landed on him, fracturing his spine and leaving him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
Construction company Morgan Ashurst was carrying out a shop refurbishment at the time and Mr Collins, aged 34, was working for subcontractor Spectra Scaffolding.
At Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court yesterday, Spectra bosses pleaded guilty to two breaches of health and safety standards.
Bernard Thorogood, prosecuting, said: “On the day the accident happened Mr Collins was lifting equipment from the back of a vehicle with a mobile crane. It was a bundle of scaffold tubes.
“There was a defective safety catch on the hook, they came out and he was trapped under them. He suffered devastating consequences.”
The court heard the equipment was poorly maintained and Mr Collins, who lives in Bury, was only trained to carry out routine lifting operations.
He had already delivered a load to the front of the Argos store that morning, in November 2008, as planned but had then been told to go to the back and unload in a small compound without any help.
Bury-based company Spectra Scaffolding was formed in 2005 and delivers, constructs and dismantles scaffolding across the North West.
John Cooper, defending the firm, said: “The lift was more complicated than originally anticipated. This accident occurred because of the changes imposed by Morgan Ashurst.
“This prosecution will have a huge effect on this business. They have 29 employees and this will have a devastating blow.”
The court heard the three directors only take £500 a month as salaries but also take dividends of £42,000 a year each.
The company has been fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £45,000 prosecution costs spread over four years.
Judge Robert Trevor-Jones said: “This was a catastrophic and life-altering accident.
“Mr Collins is now a paraplegic and the rest of his life has been blighted.
“The company had a good safety record and this was an isolated incident.
“They have taken many steps to remedy the situation with a full review of procedures and a revision of the lifting plan.
“But the failings led to a cataclysmic consequences for Mr Collins.”
A private prosecution is due to start at Manchester Crown Court in February against Bury-based Spectra Scaffolding and Morgan Ashurst.
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This will bring the total spent on scaffolding to more than £3,200,000 since staff at Keir Stoke were forced to stop using ladders for minor repair work on city council properties.
The ban was introduced by health and safety officials at the company after a worker was seriously injured after falling off a ladder.
Scaffolding is now used by workers for repairs such as putting up security lights.
By the end of March, Stoke-on-Trent City Council will be facing an expected bill for £957,000 for the use of the equipment, which costs £35-a-day to erect.
On average the structures remain in place for eight days.
The bill for 2010/11 is up by around £42,000 against the previous year despite efforts to reduce costs by using cheaper alternatives.
Use of the scaffolding has been criticised as an ‘unnecessary expense’ by residents and a cause for delays.
Chairman of East Bentilee Residents’ Association, Alan Joinson, pictured below, said: “It’s stupid because they are putting scaffolding up for little jobs.
“If there is an issue with a roof or something, I agree that scaffolding should be used but they’re using it for things that can be fixed with a step ladder.
The 64-year-old, of Bentilee, added: “It’s not just time consuming it’s become an expense that we could all do without with all the cutbacks at the moment.”
Meir resident Christopher Shenton, who is disabled, has been waiting almost three years for repairs to the roof of his Brookhouse Road home.
The 46-year-old said: “I have had damp problems for ages. The concrete supports in the eaves of the roof have been falling off and the tiles are coming loose.
“We have problems with our kitchen too but I have had to try and repair it myself because we can’t live like this.
“I know it is procedure for Keir to use scaffolding but it means nothing ever gets done because we are all having to wait for so long. It infuriates me to think how long I have been waiting.”
The scaffolding bill reached a record high of £1.4 million in 2009/10.
Council officials vowed to try and reduce the cost by persuading Kier to use cheaper platform towers.
A council spokesman said: “The city council and Kier have worked closely together over the past 18 months to reduce the costs of using scaffolding in our repairs.
“We are committed to maintaining the standard of service our customers can expect while also reducing costs where possible.
“While the city council and Kier cannot compromise on the safety of the workforce, alternative means of access have been investigated and are being used where appropriate.”
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