The Health and Safety Executive pressed charges against the owner of a quarry after a teenaged boy gained unauthorised access to the work site and sustained injuries after a fall within the premises. Two other cases recently have also been investigated by HSE in which members of public were injured in the premises of businesses after gaining access without permission.

Tarmac Ltd of Wolverhampton has been found guilty of neglecting to place proper barricades around its Cornelly Quarry. In absence of proper barricades, the boy aged 15 years entered the site and fell around 50ft. He sustained serious injuries including a fractured wrist and elbow and a chipped pelvis. The accident occurred in 2008.

Following this incident, HSE initiated proceedings to prosecute Tarmac Ltd. The company pleaded guilty to charges of violating Regulation 16 of the Quarries Regulations 1999. The proceedings that were conducted at Cardiff Crown Court concluded with the imposition of a fine amounting to £10,000 on Tarmac Ltd. Costs of £6,930.85 are also to be paid by the company.

The accident occurred after the boy with some other friends crossed over a temporary barricade in the form of two earth banks that had been erected around the quarry. Earlier, a thick, impenetrable hedge acted as an effective barrier to the quarry site. However, ahead of plans to expand the quarry, this hedge had been removed. A delay in the expansion work meant that the two earth banks were left as only barricades to the quarry. Unfortunately, they were not sufficient and were easily crossed by the teenager.

Speaking about the incident and the judgement, HSE inspector-in-charge of the case pointed out that the boy should have been aware of the dangers of trespassing. However, the quarry owners are still responsible as they should have assessed the dangers of people crossing over the inadequate and temporary barriers to enter the site.

The inspector-in-charge remarked that both quarry owners and the public should learn from this mishap, which could have been much more serious considering that the boy fell down 50 ft.

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