HSE | A commercial tyre service provider in Worcestershire has been fined following the death of 21-year-old employee Niall Fawcett, who was killed while carrying out a roadside repair.
On 2 August 2024, Mr Fawcett was called out to replace a blown-out tyre on a low-profile truck on the slip road at junction 7 of the M56 motorway near Bowdon. While he was positioned beneath the truck, it is understood to have slipped from the bottle jack (a compact hydraulic lifting tool designed for vehicle support) being used to raise the vehicle and landed on him, causing fatal head injuries.
The HSE’s investigation found that Halford Commercial Fleet Services Limited, formerly known as Lodge Tyre Company Limited (The), had not properly assessed the risks associated with replacing a blown-out tyre on a low-profile vehicle. The company had also failed to give employees suitable work instructions, including information on when a truck should be recovered rather than repaired at the roadside.
The investigation also found that Mr Fawcett had only obtained his licence to work on commercial tyres at the roadside when he joined the company less than four months before his death. Despite this, he had not been subject to any monitoring or supervision to ensure that he was working safely.
Halford Commercial Fleet Services Limited, of Icknield Street Drive, Washford West, Redditch, Worcestershire B98 0DE, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £600,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £200 and £24,203 in costs.
Niall’s mother, Sharon, said in her victim personal statement: “Niall was only 21 years old when he died. He had his whole life ahead of him. He was planning to marry the following year and he and Megan were saving for a deposit on their first home together and talking about starting a family. Niall was building for a life he was excited for and this was taken from him in an instant.
“Niall went to work that day and should have been safe, supported and protected. Instead, my son never came home.”
HSE Principal Inspector Laura Royales said: “This case should serve to highlight to employers the importance of properly assessing the risks to which their workers are exposed and providing the right information and instructions, supplemented by adequate monitoring and supervision arrangements, to ensure that they can and do work safely.
“Our thoughts remain with Niall’s family as they continue to come to terms with their tragic loss.”
This HSE prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Matthew Reynolds and paralegal officer Benjamin Stobbart. The investigation was supported by Visiting Officer Natty Heath.
