The West Lothian engineering firm Oil States Klaper has been sentenced for safety failings after employee Kenneth Hunter was hit by a 400kg metal ring being propelled toward him under high pressure.
Livingston Sheriff Court was told this week that Mr Hunter was working on an annular, a type of blow out prevention (BOP) device used in the oil and gas industry to prevent pressure encountered during oil well drilling from breaching oil rig platforms.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which investigated, said Mr Hunter stood on the BOP some two and a half metres above the ground in order to tighten jacking bolts. As he did, there was a loud bang and a locking ring weighing 400kg shot up with force, hit him in the face and upper body and threw him into the air before he landed on the floor with the ring on top of his legs.
HSE’s investigation revealed that Oil States Klaper had failed to provide an adequate safe system of work for the removal of the locking rings or ensure suitable measures were taken to prevent or control articles being ejected. The firm had also failed to ensure workers were adequately supervised while carrying out pressure testing.
The court heard that the company had failed to fully heed previous written advice from a number of HM Inspectors and Specialist HSE Inspectors regarding the hazardous nature of pressure testing.
Oil States Klaper was fined £40,000 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
This material is protected by copyright Ken Hurst 2013.
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