Machinery firm fined £45,000 over farmer’s death
A Shropshire farmer died when the rotating arms of a defective bale wrapping machine struck him on the head, a court heard.
George Stokes, 48, died in the accident at Tong Norton Farm, near Shifnal, on May 28, 2009.
The father-of-three had been working on his own, preparing a McHale square bale wrapping machine for the grass cutting season, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard on Tuesday (4 December).
He was found slumped over the front of the machine by his brother Roy, and ambulance crews pronounced him dead at the scene.
The wrapper struck Mr Stokes when it unexpectedly started to rotate, taking almost a third of a turn before stopping after the safety trip had been activated, the court heard. No witnesses were present at the time of the tragedy.
McHale Engineering Ltd, of Castlebar Road, Ballinrobe, Co Mayo, Republic of Ireland, admitted supplying a defective machine in 2001.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It was fined £45,000 and ordered to pay costs of £70,000.
“Mr Stokes’ death was a tragedy that could have been prevented if McHale Engineering had designed the machine to stop in safe manner when the safety trip bar was activated.”
HSE inspector David Kilvin
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the machine’s safety trip bar had not been designed to stop the rotating baling arms in sufficient time, meaning that anyone who activated the safety trip bar was still at risk of being struck by the machinery.
The failure of the safety trip bar to bring the rotating bale wrapping arms to a safe stop meant Mr Stokes suffered fatal head injuries.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector David Kivlin said: “Mr Stokes’ death was a tragedy that could have been prevented if McHale Engineering had designed the machine to stop in safe manner when the safety trip bar was activated.
“Manufacturers of farm equipment should ensure that they design such equipment so that safety risks are reduced as far as possible for anyone who enters the danger zone of the rotating arms. McHale Engineering failed to do this.”
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