Home / Crime and Justice / Labourer Buried Alive: Firms Fined Over £1 Million
Labourer Buried Alive: Firms Fined Over £1 Million
9 Sep
Summary
- A labourer died after a trench collapsed on him at a construction site.
- Two firms were fined over £1 million for health and safety failures.
- The contracts manager received a suspended prison sentence for his role.
A labourer, Gheorghita Arsene, tragically lost his life on June 24, 2020, after being buried alive by a collapsing trench at a construction site in Banstead, Surrey. The 33-year-old was working to replace a pipe at the bottom of the unsupported 10ft deep trench when it suddenly gave way.
Despite desperate attempts by a colleague and emergency services to free him, Mr. Arsene could not be revived due to the significant weight of the soil. Health and safety inspectors found no supports in place for the trench, with excavated soil piled dangerously close to the edge.
Following a trial, Appledorn Developments Limited was fined £500,000, and T Vaughan Limited received a £650,000 fine plus £40,000 in costs. The judge cited cost-cutting at the expense of safety and insufficient implementation of safety systems.
Contracts manager Anthony O'Connor received a 10-month suspended prison sentence and was ordered to perform unpaid work, having been found to have had foresight of the risks. Site manager Peter Wraith and assistant site manager Gregory Peake were acquitted of charges related to the death.
