A Yorkshire farming partnership has been forced to pay more than £28,000 after its former farmworker was knocked down and killed by a telescopic handler carrying bales.
The business – B. A. L. Ackroyd – was sentenced for safety breaches, following the fatal incident at Waller House Farm in Wighill, Tadcaster.
Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard that, on February 22, 2017, the deceased was struck by a telescopic loader driven by farmer Anthony Ackroyd.
The JCB telescopic loader was carrying three bales on the front, severely restricting forward visibility, meaning Ackroyd could not see the man and drove over him, killing him instantly.
The investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the deceased had been previously employed on the farm before his retirement and lived in a cottage adjacent to the farm.
He was a regular visitor to the farm, carrying out work such as gardening.
In addition, the court heard that an employee of the farm was standing on the mounting step of the vehicle in such a way that had he slipped off the step, he would have fallen directly under the wheels of the machine.
B. A. L. Ackroyd of Waller House Farm, Wighill Park, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) and Section 3 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company has been fined £18,000 and ordered to pay £10,690 costs.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Julian Franklin said: “This was a tragic and wholly avoidable incident. Drivers should ensure that they can always see in front of them or take equally effective precautions.
Vehicles at work continue to be a major cause of fatal and major injuries; every year there are more than 5,000 incidents involving transport in the workplace – about 50 of these result in people being killed.
