Co Armagh concrete firm is fined £90,000 following death of young employee

​The fine was imposed on Taranto Limited after the death of Mr Matthew Biggerstaff (21), who was a production operative employed at the company’s main production site at Old Scarva Road in Tandragee on 3 August 2021.

Following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI), Taranto Limited pleaded guilty to a single health and safety offence at Newry Crown Court.

Mr Biggerstaff and two of his colleagues had been tasked to remove concrete which had set and accumulated on the interior walls of a truck mounted mixing drum.

The employees took turns to enter the interior of the drum, using an impact hammer to manually chip away hardened concrete. Access was gained by entering the access hatches located on either side of the drum.

Whilst Mr Biggerstaff was inside the drum rotated causing him to be ejected from the access hatch, drawn under the drum, and suffer fatal crush injuries.

Prosecutors in the PPS’s Fraud and Departmental Section worked closely with the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland to build a robust prosecution case.

Speaking after the hearing, HSENI Principal Inspector Justine McIntyre said: “This tragic and preventable incident resulted in a young man losing his life.

“Concrete operators must always consider if they can eliminate the need to enter the mixing drum to perform such activities.

“Where this is not possible, employers must ensure that an adequate and robust risk assessment and safe system of work is in place and that employees involved in the work activity have been suitably trained.” Ms McIntyre continued: “Performing cleaning and maintenance activities within the interior of concrete mixing drums presents safety risks which must be controlled. Both the truck and the mixing drum must be adequately locked out.

"Following lock-out, where there is any residual risk of the drum rotating, adequate measures must be taken to secure the drum and prevent it from moving when any person is inside.”

The investigation found that the drum had not been effectively locked-off, nor had the drum itself been secured to prevent any powered or inadvertent rotational movement. The company failed to conduct a suitable task specific risk assessment and implement a safe system of work including the use of appropriate control measures to mitigate the risk.