Scots tyre firm fined £9k after recovery lorry fell on top of worker

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A Scots tyre company has been fined £9,800 for health and safety breaches after the death of an employee. Robert Garvock, a senior recovery operator, died after a lorry which was being used to recover a stolen car from a ditch fell on top of him on the B999 Pitmedden to Potterton road, Aberdeenshire on 27 October 2018.Kairdson Tyres Limited, based in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, pled guilty to failing to ensure their employees had information, instruction and training to carry out vehicle recovery work in a way that was properly planned, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner.The company, who provided vehicle recovery services to Police Scotland, also failed to ensure a suitable and sufficient risk assessment was carried out and provide a wind measuring device crucial to the safe use of the hydraulic crane in vehicle recovery work.Mr Garvock was in the process of recovering a stolen vehicle which was on its side down an embankment.

The procurator fiscal told the court it was raining and there were high winds on the night of the fatal incident. Metal chains had been attached to the front and rear axles of the vehicle and Mr Garvock was standing on the nearside of the recovery vehicle cab operating the hydraulic controls when the vehicle was being lifted out of the ditch.A police officer and one of Mr Garvock’s colleagues shouted a warning that the lorry was leaning to its nearside.The lorry then suddenly tipped onto its nearside and the cab came down on top of Mr Garvock.

He died at the scene.An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found a number of failings by the company as part of the investigation into the death of Mr Garvock, though his death was not caused by these failings.The company no