TWO men and a Co. Fermanagh firm have today been handed fines totalling £50,000 at Belfast Crown Court after a 17-year-old was crushed to death under a tractor.
Neil Graham, a part-time engineering student at South West College, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, died while carrying out repairs on the vehicle with business owner Gordon Brown on May 22, 2018.
The teenager was working on the tractor — owned by C&V Loane Limited — while completing a work experience placement at Gordon Brown Agricultural Engineering.
Both Mr Brown and C&V Loane Limited were fined £20,000, while Jamie Loane — a director and employee at the latter firm — was fined £10,000.
"This tragic incident needlessly claimed the life of a young man who was training to become a qualified mechanic," said Anne Cassidy of the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI).
Safety feature bypassed
Mr Neil was working underneath the tractor when he was fatally crushed by the forward movement of the back right wheel after Mr Brown started the vehicle.
The HSENI investigation found that a safety feature to prevent the vehicle being started while in gear had been bypassed sometime prior to it being brought in for repair.
An inspection pit was available in the workshop, from where the tractor could have been examined safely from below, however, it was not used at the time.
"Working under machinery of any description poses significant hazards," added Ms Cassidy.
"This work activity was even more hazardous as a key safety feature of the tractor had been disabled.
"Every employer has a responsibility to ensure the safety of workers.
"The identification of safe systems of work is key to ensuring safe work practices."
Guilty pleas
Each of the three defendants had earlier pleaded guilty to the health and safety offences at a court hearing in November 2022.
Mr Brown, owner of Gordon Brown Agricultural Engineering, Boho Road, Enniskillen was fined £20,000 for failing to ensure the safety of his employee, Mr Graham, and for failing to implement a safe system while working under the tractor.
The Court fined C&V Loane Ltd of Kesh, Co. Fermanagh £20,000 for failings in respect of its duty to Mr Graham as someone who was not directly employed by the company.
Mr Loane, a director and employee of C&V Loane Ltd, was fined £10,000 for failing in his duties as an employee to take reasonable care for the health and safety of another person.
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