HSE condemns dangerous digger stunt videos
The Health and Safety Executive has spoken out against the “irresponsible and dangerous” videos of a workman performing death-defying stunts with a mechanical digger.
The videos, which show a workman hanging onto a digger while being spun around at great speed, had over 1,200 hits on YouTube before being removed.
Stephen Williams, HSE Head of construction, said: “HSE condemns the irresponsible and dangerous behaviour being shown on these YouTube videos.”
Other similar videos can still be found online and Mr Williams added: “These videos show and encourage irresponsible behaviour that could have gone seriously wrong and led to the death or serious injury. HSE encourages all in the construction industry to condemn such videos and help stamp out this type of unsafe behaviour.”
The video of the workman spinning on the mechanical digger was filmed at Scomi Oiltools in Peterborough in May 2007. Following an internal investigation into the incident, one employee was sacked and another two workers left.