Sonae fined £220,000 for failings

Liverpool Crown Court heard that the two workers in their 20s were killed on December 7, 2010 when carrying out maintenance work on a conveyor belt at the Kirkby factory, which was later closed by Sonae in 2012.

The workers had been employed by maintenance firm Metso Paper Ltd and were called in to replace part of a conveyor belt at Sonae. While carrying out the work the conveyor suddenly and unexpectedly started to operate, dragging both men into the machinery causing catastrophic fatal injuries.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found multiple failings by both companies to properly assess the risks associated with the work James and Thomas were carrying out.

Sonae Industria (UK) Ltd’s many failings included not properly assessing the risks or sharing these with contractors, not having a proper process for managing contractors or a procedure for isolating dangerous machinery, and failing to train or check worker competence.

Valmet Ltd, which took over Metso Ltd in 2013, was prosecuted for failing to ensure sites its workers were visiting had sufficient risk assessments and processes in place. It also failed to ensure its workers and contractors had adequate training or provided with the necessary information on the work.

Both Sonae and Valmet pleaded guilty to health and safety breaches, with the latter fined £190,000, with costs of £107,000.

“This is perhaps the most horrific case I have ever had to deal with and has had a devastating effect on both families,” said HSE principal inspector Mike Sebastian.

“If both companies had put in place the simple steps to protect their workers’ safety these two young men would still be with us today.”