Haulage Company Fined £250,000 After Employee's Death
A Middlesbrough road haulage company, Ward Bros (Malton) Ltd, has been fined £250,000 following the death of an employee, Gary Lee James, 30.
On 8 January 2019, Mr James and a colleague were working inside a shipping container, standing up metal frames as part of a "devanning" activity. Each frame weighed approximately 120kg.
As they lifted the sixth frame, the fifth one fell back towards them, followed by the four others, pinning Mr James by the neck between the container wall and the fallen frames.
Despite being transported to James Cook University Hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest, Mr James was pronounced dead three days later.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the frames had not been secured to the container wall.
No comment from the company.
Author's summary: Haulage company fined for fatal accident.