Scottish airport fined £144,000 for failures that led to death of employee
Joseph Dempsey, an experienced member of the airport's ground handling team, died in the incident on January 11 2023.
The 59-year-old had been preparing to unload cargo from an aircraft using a pallet loader.
He had positioned the loader alongside the aircraft and was repositioning a guardrail when it suddenly gave way and he fell to the tarmac some 10 feet (three metres) below.
Mr Dempsey's colleagues immediately went to his assistance and paramedics attempted CPR and advanced life support.
However, these efforts proved unsuccessful and Mr Dempsey was pronounced dead at the scene.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that one of the guardrail posts had completely fractured, and that there were visible signs of significant corrosion, discolouration and flaking white paint around the area.
At Ayr Sheriff Court on June 25, Glasgow Prestwick Airport Ltd pled guilty to a breach of health and safety legislation, having failed to ensure the pallet loader was maintained and in good repair.
At the same court on Thursday, the company was fined £144,050, including a victim surcharge of £10,050.
Debbie Carroll leads on health and safety investigations for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS).
Speaking after the sentencing, she said: 'Joseph Dempsey lost his life in circumstances which could have been avoided if Prestwick Airport had in place a suitable and adequate maintenance and inspection programme to ensure the equipment he was using was in a good state of repair.
'This prosecution should remind duty holders that a failure to fulfil their obligations can have fatal consequences and they will be held accountable for this failure.'
Metallurgical examination of the guardrail posts carried out during the investigation found differences in chemical composition, manufacturing, and wall thickness which indicated the posts were manufactured from two different tubing sections.
The HSE found these welded sections were not a feature of the manufacture's original design, and appeared to have been modified while the loader was under the ownership of Prestwick Airport.
The investigation also found the welds on both the guardrail posts contained defects which would allow moisture in, creating a corrosive environment and speeding up deterioration.
It was also found that the maintenance programme in place at the time did not cover the parts of the guardrail where failure or deterioration could lead to health and safety risks.
Graeme McMinn, HM principal inspector of health and safety, said: 'Employers have an absolute legal duty to ensure that equipment they use at work is maintained in an efficient state and in good repair and full working order.
'This incident is a tragic reminder of what can result when that does not happen.'
Since the incident, Prestwick Airport has undertaken a review of all work at height, and checks of the guardrails on the platform loaders have been made part of the regular service and inspection schedule.
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