Firm fined after dad was crushed to death in Wellesbourne

Warwick Crown Court heard how Imperial Commercials Limited failed to provide a safe place for its staff to work in what led to the death of Craig Stewart Dunn, in January 2014.

Mr Dunn, a 44-year-old employee and father-of-three, was hit by a heavy goods vehicle whose driver could not see immediately in front of him as the vehicle’s grill was raised.

It was not the first time this practice had been observed at this site and the court heard that occasionally employees would drive on the Wellesbourne site in this unsafe way.

During the fatal incident last year, the driver thought he had hit a stationary vehicle but after reversing, realised he had crushed Mr Dunn who had been working outside the Loxley Road workshop.

Imperial Commercials Limited was fined £166,000, and ordered to pay £46,500 in costs after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Speaking after the hearing, Health and Safety Executive inspector Mark Austin said: “The tragic, needless loss of Mr Dunn’s life could have been prevented had Imperial Commercials Ltd properly considered the risks from the movement of heavy goods vehicles at this site, and provided effective segregation of pedestrians from moving vehicles.

“Even though the vehicle that crushed him was travelling at less than five kilometres ab hour, the size and weight of the vehicle left him no chance of survival.”