Two contractors fined nearly £200,000 after worker death

A court has fined two contractors and two individuals nearly £200,000 after a German worker died at a depot in Worksop, Nottinghamshire.

Hans Zdolsek fell 8.5m while he was working at the Wilkinsons distribution centre in February 2004. Plastic tie wraps were used to secure guard rails at the site.

Main contractor Siemens Dematic, now known as Oldbury (Banbury), was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £47,000 costs at Nottingham Crown Court.

And racking installation contractor Stow (UK) was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £41,000.

The fines came after both pleaded guilty to a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Meanwhile Siemens Dematic project manager David Hill was found not guilty of manslaughter but received a £2,500 for a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

And the site's health and safety director David Hastie was also fined the same amount for a breach of the Act.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector Mark Dawson said: "It seems almost inconceivable that professional people should consider plastic tie wraps to be a suitable means of securing guard rails."