Hamilton Sheriff Court heard that on 4th September 2024, Steven White, 61, was offloading granite slabs from a lorry loader at Blyth Marble鈥檚 premises in Carlisle Road, Larkhall. White was working on top of the flatbed section of the lorry when two granite slabs, with a combined weight of more 900 kg, fell and struck him, causing fatal injuries.
An investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found that vertical safety posts, which provide a physical barrier to prevent slabs from toppling, had been removed during the offloading operation. While it was accepted custom and practice for the posts to remain fitted during offloading it was not specified in the company鈥檚 safe working manual.
The investigation also found that while lifting two slabs at once was regular practice, the company鈥檚 Safe System of Work failed to distinguish between single slab lifting and multiple slab lifting and lacked specific instructions for handling multiple slabs. Additionally, White was working alone on the lorry loader, whereas the Safe System of Work specified that two people always should be involved in offloading operations.
Blyth Marble Limited, of Carlton Industrial Estate, Carlton In Lindrick, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined 拢50,000 with a victim surcharge of 拢3,750 at Hamilton Sheriff Court on 28th January 2026.
HSE principal inspector Martin McMahon said after the hearing: 鈥淭his was a tragic incident which could have been prevented had the company made sure the聽聽 appropriate safety measures were in place and followed during offloading operations.
鈥淓mployers must ensure that safe systems of work are not only in place but are sufficiently detailed to address all foreseeable risks, including the requirement for safety equipment to remain in position and for adequate personnel to be present during hazardous operations.鈥�
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