| 27 October 2006
A vehicle recovery company in Widnes has been fined £96,000 after a man was crushed to death while working underneath a bus.
Hough Green Garage was found guilty of health and safety offences at Liverpool crown court and in addition to the fine was ordered to pay costs of £20,000. The company's managing director, Nigel Farrell, was found guilty of two breaches of health and safety laws and was fined a total of £14,000 with £15,000 costs.
The incident occurred on 31 December 2003 when Scott Allen, an employee of Hough Green Garage, was fatally injured after the air suspension failed on a bus he was underneath. Mr Allen was working at the roadside to recover the vehicle, which was unsupported.
Mr Allen, 36, died on arrival at Royal Liverpool Hospital, leaving a fiancée, Wendy Green, and step-daughter. David Sowerby, the HSE's head of operations in the north west, said: 'HSE's guidance clearly states that no employee should work under unsupported vehicles, whatever the nature of the vehicle's suspension system. The tragic incident to Mr Allen was easily avoidable.'
Since the accident the HSE has expanded its guidance on vehicle recovery. Mr Sowerby said: 'To reduce the risk of this type of incident recurring, we have undertaken further work with the organisations representing the roadside recovery industry.
All agree that recovery operators should never work under unsupported vehicles for any purpose.'
© 2006 Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
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