Fine for SW Global Resourcing over cherry-picker death

A company has been fined £200,000 over the death of a worker who was thrown from a cherry-picker in East Ayrshire.

Glasgow-based SW Global Resourcing admitted breaching health and safety laws over the death of Leslie Watson.

The 47-year-old was carrying out maintenance work on the Annick Water Viaduct, Stewarton, on 13 April 2010, when the raised platform overturned.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard the accident could have been avoided had adequate precautions been taken.

The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) and the Health and Safety Executive found that plinths, put in place to create a level working surface, did not have any end stop or edge protection.

The cherry-picker had gone off the edge of a plinth and overturned.

Mr Watson had died at the scene from his injuries.

Gary Aitken, head of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal health and safety division, said: "SW Global Resourcing Limited accepted liability and the Crown accepted their guilty plea to the contraventions of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.

"The company failed to ensure the safety of its employees and as a result of this Leslie Watson died.

"This was an entirely avoidable tragedy which has left family and friends devastated at the loss of a loved one."

ORR railway safety director Ian Prosser said: "Safety of those working and travelling on the railways will always be ORR's number one priority and where failings are found the regulator will not hesitate to take action."