A court has imposed a £120,000 fine on a firm which specialises in protective coating systems after a worker was killed in an accident.
Andrew Fraser, an employee of Gemini Corrosion Services, died after coming into contact with a rotating pipe at the company’s premises in Montrose, Angus, on September 17 2014.
The 26-year-old, from Arbroath, died hours after the incident despite being flown to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
Gemini specialises in services to offshore oil companies including coating equipment such as drill pipes with molten aluminium.
The case was concluded at Forfar Sheriff Court on Wednesday with representatives of the firm appearing after police and the Health and Safety Executive investigated the accident.
The court was told the firm failed to ensure a thermal spray aluminium machine was adequately guarded or that other suitable measures were in place to prevent access by any worker to any dangerous parts of machinery.
Gemini, whose registered office was given as Albyn Place, Aberdeen, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 33(1)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and Regulations 11(1) and (2) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
It was fined £120,000, reduced from £180,000 in light of the guilty plea.
Gemini was unavailable for comment.
