A specialist engineering company in Leeds has been ordered to pay £377,500 in fines and costs after protracted safety failings led to the death of a worker from fatal head injuries caused by a powered valve.
Graham Britten, 46, of Kippax, Leeds, was carrying out maintenance in a vacuum casting furnace at AETC Ltd in Yeadon when the main isolation valve closed suddenly, trapping his head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident, in 2009, was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive.
Leeds Crown Court was told today that HSE uncovered repeated failings by AETC Ltd ,The firm was fined £300,000 and ordered to pay £77,500 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
A missing woman pulled from a river at Nunroyd Park has died in hospital. Officers searching for the 66-year-old found her in the water at the park in Yeadon last night. West Yorkshire police are investigating the circumstances.
An area of Leeds has had its Village Green status confirmed by the Court of Appeal.
After a long battle between residents and Leeds Group plc, the 12 acre Yeadon Banks site has been confirmed as a Village Green, meaning development work cannot take place.
Greg Mulholland MP has been supporting the residents.
“It is absolutely disgraceful that despite several years having passed since the application was initially submitted to register Yeadon Banks as a village green, Leeds Group PLC continued to oppose the application in an effort to free up the land for development, against the wishes of the local community.
