Recently, Carlton Main Brickworks Limited was penalised with the fine of £25,000 by Sheffield Crown Court after a 13-year-old girl Amber Worth died inside a quarry run by the company. The incident happened around two years back, in 2007.

The company is alleged to have violated Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, as it had not installed proper boundary around the quarry in order to protect outsiders from entering it. Because of its failure, the victim went to the quarry and died on the spot after a boulder weighing almost half a tonne fell on her.

The court also ordered the company to pay the costs of the suit amounting to £22,833.

Commenting on this matter, HSE Inspector Richard Noble said that HSE is hoping that such incidents will not occur again. It expects the companies to learn a lesson from this prosecution and to stop being careless about their legal obligations. In the present case, the company should have kept in mind that there was a housing area very close by and that kids could get into the quarry easily. The company has put metal barriers after the accident, but doing so beforehand would have saved a life.

Another similar prosecution has also taken place recently, worrying HSE regarding the safety measures. Protecting the health and safety of employees or members of the public who may be affected by your activities is an essential part of risk management. The NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health can be of benefit to organisations in providing the knowledge to manage safely and effectively in compliance with both legislative requirements and best practice.