Liquid concrete sprayed out of damaged pipe on to pedestrians
An armed police car was damaged and members of the public were showered in concrete when a pump split and sprayed out wet concrete at a construction site in London.
London Concrete Pumping Ltd was contracted to provide mobile concrete-pumping equipment as part of a construction project to build an office building opposite Wellington Barracks, near Buckingham Palace. The company supplied a concrete-delivery line, which was used to pump wet concrete to part of the building 10 metres above ground.
The pump operator, believing there was a blockage in the pipe, released the pressure and started reverse pumping. The pipe suddenly burst and began spraying liquid concrete at a high velocity, showering pedestrians and two police officers. The debris caused a minor head injury to a woman and shattered the window of a police car 25 metres away.
An investigation found the pipe had been damaged in a separate incident, which took place earlier. Paint had been scraped off the pipe, causing it to rust, and there was also a big dent in this section of the pipe, which measured approximately 1.4 metres. No efforts had been made to repair or replace the pipe, which was placed under extreme pressures by the concrete, as it passed through it and caused it to explode.
London Concrete Pumping Ltd appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to breaching s3(1) of the HSWA 1974. It was fined £8000 and ordered to pay £31,000 in costs.
In mitigation, the company said it had no previous convictions and has subsequently changed its procedures to ensure periodic services are carried out on its equipment.
