A construction worker employed by Morgan Sindall needed to have his foot amputated after it became trapped by metal sheet piling being driven into the ground at an excavation site in Barry.
Morgan Est, the civil engineering arm of Morgan Sindall, which has since been merged into the group's main construction business, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for failings leading to the injury.
Barry Magistrates' Court today heard how Clive Morgan, 46, from Gilfach Goch, Rhondda, was installing interlocking metal sheet piling to prevent the collapse of an excavation on an underground pumping station project at Barry Ponds.
Morgan was standing on a horizontal beam to guide the pile into position, when his foot became trapped between the sheet and the beam, injuring his left foot so seriously he later had it amputated.
Morgan Sindall pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The construction firm has been fined £12,000 with costs of £11,213.
The incident happened in February 2008 and the HSE investigation demonstrated that the work Morgan was involved in was not being carried out in a safe manner, and that no-one should be standing close to a metal pile as it is being lowered into position.
HSE inspector Steve Richardson said: "The horrific injuries sustained by Mr Morgan in this case demonstrate the need for employers to have safe systems of working in place on site.
"This installation is fairly routine in the construction industry and there are plenty of examples of good practice this company should have followed.
"Since the incident, the company have revised their procedures for installing piles and provided dedicated training for their operatives. This was too late for Mr Morgan, who remains unable to work and is still undergoing treatment."
In March 2010, Morgan Est pleaded guilty to safety breaches resulting in a man's arm being torn off at a water treatment plant in Huddersfield in March 2008. The firm was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,163.
Sign up to our FREE email newsletters or subscribe to our RSS feed for regular updates on the latest construction news, construction tenders, construction data, and construction law.
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk
