English firm fined over '˜serious' incident at Tyrone gold mine

Vertase FLI Limited was fined £6,000 plus costs of £1,033 for a health and safety breach that led to a half tonne roll of membrane striking its employee as it fell from a curtain sided lorry.

Dungannon Crown Court heard on Monday that “it could be seen the rolls were unstable, but Vertase FLI Limited did not put sufficient measures in place to stabilise the load or to remove personnel from the area” before they were unloaded.

The sentencing came after a Health and Safety Executive (HSENI) investigation into the workplace incident at the gold mine site on May 26, 2015.

Vertase FLI limited was contracted to carry out a land remediation project at the mining site, which involved welding large rolls of lining membrane together on reclaimed land.

The incident occurred when workers were tasked with unloading a delivery of the geotechnical lining membrane from a curtain sided lorry.

An employee working for them was struck by a falling roll of lining membrane, weighing approximately half a tonne, sustaining serious injuries.

Speaking after Monday’s hearing Anne Cassidy, an inspector with HSENI’s major investigation team, said: “The dangers of a load moving in transit are well recognised and employers must ensure that all lifting operations are carried out without risk to those in the area.”

Dalradian Gold declined to comment on the court case.