A company which provides specialist coating services to offshore oil companies has been fined after a worker was killed by a rotating pipe sprayed with molten metal.

Gemini Corrosion Services Limited, Montrose, Angus 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.

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It was fined £120,000, reduced from £180,000 in light of its guilty plea.

Forfar Sheriff Court heard how Andrew Fraser, 26, became caught on the pipe being spray-coated with aluminium by a Thermal Spray Application (TSA) machine at the company's site on 17 September 2014.

Mr Fraser subsequently lost his life due to the severity of his injures.

The court was told that Gemini Corrosion Services failed to ensure that the TSA machine was adequately guarded or that other suitable and sufficient measures were in place to prevent access by any worker to any dangerous parts of machinery.

(LM/MH)