Four defendants have been fined a total of £80,000 and ordered to pay costs, following the deaths of two Polish workers on a Berkshire fruit farm.
Hall Hunter Partnership, along with directors Mark and Harry Hall, and polytunnel contractor Aventis Services Ltd, were prosecuted by the Health & Safety Executive, after Adam Borowik and Sebastian Skorupski died while working at Sheeplands Farm near Wokingham in October 2002.
Aventis Services Ltd was contracted by Hall Hunter Partnership, a major soft-fruit grower, to erect and dismantle ‘polytunnels’ used in the cultivation process.
The two men died after they became entangled between rope and a rotating shaft while using a tractor-mounted machine to wind up the long lengths of rope used to secure the polytunnels.
Speaking after the case, HSE Inspector Matthew Lee, said: “This was a tragic and preventable accident which resulted in the loss of two lives. In terms of injuries, it is the worst I have seen in 30 years as an inspector.”
Delivering his sentence, Judge Jonathan Playford QC, said there was no question of any of the defendants putting profit before safety.
Harry Hall, Mark Hall and Hall Hunter Partnership (Farming) Ltd all pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSW Act 1974) and Regulation 3 (1) (a) of the Management of Health & Safety Regulations 1999. Aventis Services Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching section 3 (1) of the HSW Act 1974 and Regulation 3 (1) (b) of the Management of Health & Safety Regulations 1999.
All four defendants were fined £10,000 each, for each count, and ordered to pay costs of £15,516.25 each.
The HSE said it would now be using the case to highlight safety issues to the agricultural sector.
