Lorry Driver Killed by Falling Steel Gates

Two companies were recently fined after a lorry driver was killed when he was hit by steel gates falling off his vehicle as it was unloaded by a fork-lift truck.

On 27 August 2008, Mr Andrew Brown had picked up 20 steel safety gates from Mackay Steelwork and Cladding Ltd's yard in Delny, near Invergordon. He then drove them to Simpsons Garden Centre in Inverness where they were to be unloaded by workers from MacKays using a fork-lift truck.

Mr Brown removed the securing straps from his load, and assisted the fork-lift truck driver during the unloading by ensuring the forks were positioned correctly before moving from his position behind his lorry.

Four of the gates fell off the lorry as they were being unloaded, with two of them, weighing 153kgs, hitting him. Paramedics were called but could not revive Mr Brown, and he was taken to Raigmore Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He had suffered a serious neck injury.

Mr Brown's employers, James Paterson Haulage Ltd, and Mackay Steelwork and Cladding Ltd, both admitted failing to adequately liaise with each other or obtain enough information to ensure a safe system of work was in place, particularly in relation to the role Mr Brown would play in unloading the gates.

James Paterson Haulage Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching s.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974, covering the duty of the employer to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of its employees. The company was fined £13,300.

Mackay Steelwork and Cladding Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching s.3(1) of the 1974 Act, covering the duty of the employer to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of affected non-employees. The company was fined £40,000.

Source: Croner

Posted Date: 01st Apr 2011