Worker ‘was crushed by machinery’
Pacemaker Press 2/2/11 David Layland who was found dead at a landfill site
A WASTE disposal worker who died at a Mallusk landfill site was probably crushed by heavy machinery, an inquest jury has found.
David Layland, 23, was found dead at the Biffa Waste Services site more than 24 hours after colleagues realised he was missing.
He was last seen alive around 2.30pm on August 21, 2008, standing close to where lorries deposit their loads and the waste is then mechanically compacted.
At yesterday’s conclusion of the seven-day inquest, the jury found Mr Layland had been crushed by heavy machinery but was unable to say exactly how he came to suffer his fatal injuries.
On Wednesday, former site foreman Tony Quinn told coroner Suzanne Anderson that a set of traffic lights used to regulate lorry access to the tipping area was unreliable and that an adopted system of hand signals often led to drivers approaching without authorisation.
Speaking at the inquest’s conclusion, the Layland family said the deceased had persistently pressed for improved safety procedures at the landfill site.
Kenneth Layland, David’s brother, said the entire family was “extremely angry” with the company’s response to the tragedy.
He said: “Tony Quinn’s accounts of the site’s operations were accurate. Procedures weren’t being followed.”
A Health and Safety Executive investigation – launched following Mr Layland’s death – revealed a “number of unsafe practices that had been allowed to go on around the time of the last sighting of Mr Layland, including unsafe arrangements for the separation of pedestrians and vehicles”, although it had not been possible to establish exactly how Mr Layland died.
Biffa Waste Services was fined £60,000 plus £20,000 costs in February 2011 over the shortcomings.
In a statement released yesterday, Shaun Davis of Biffa expressed the company’s deepest sympathy to both the Layland family and the work colleagues of a “well-liked and valued member” of the site team.
“Health and safety is of utmost importance to Biffa and since David Layland’s tragic death Biffa has co-operated fully with the Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland and police investigations into the incident and the subsequent coroner’s proceedings,” he said.
Mr Davis said all of the company’s facilities operated in accordance with health and safety procedures and added: “Biffa also conducted its own internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident as it continually seeks to review and improve the health and safety performance and culture at all levels within the organisation.”
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Tuesday 29 May 2012
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