Road surfacer in court over death
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• The Health and Safety Executive is prosecuting a road surfacing company after a selfemployed driver was crushed to death by a trailer at West Ham, east London.
Peter Martin, of Skirth Road, Billinghay, Lincolnshire died on 2 December last year as he tried to connect a Scania to a threeaxle low loader.
Accident investigator PC Graham Hirons said at an inquest in London on 4 October that it appeared Martin had connected air lines from the trailer to the back of the HGV before coupling up.
The trailer apparently missed the connecting jaw at the back of the vehicle and rolled down a slight incline, crushing Martin to death.
An HSE investigation con
eluded that the parking brake had not been applied to the trailer. There was nothing mechanically wrong with the brakes on either vehicle.
The inquest recorded a verdict of accidental death.
Road surfacing company Romeqs, of Metheringham, Lincolnshire, is being prosecuted for failing to comply with section 3(1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act. This states that an employer has to ensure as far as reasonably possible that people not in his employment are not exposed to risks.
Romeqs faces unlimited fines if it is successfully prosecuted at Crown Court Committal proceedings begin on 15 December.
Romeqs managing director Gordon Brown declined to comment.