Importance of working safely courses emphasised after worker ran over employer

Category: IOSH Working Safely
Friday 19th of February 2010

A farm worker has been fined after they accidently killed their boss by running them over in a tractor.

More employers may consider providing working safely courses for their staff following the news that the worker hit his boss while driving at speed in a farmyard.

John Peter Metcalfe of Ashbourne in Derbyshire was returning to White Meadow Farm in his home town, after a day in the fields, driving a tractor which was attached to a muck spreader.

Despite having restricted visibility he was driving at speed and reversed into the farm owner, Edward Arthur Fox.

Mr Metcalfe had been warned before about driving at speed and following a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation a four-metre skid mark was found where he had tried to avoid hitting the 73-year-old.

Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court fined Mr Metcalfe £450.00 and ordered to pay costs

HSE inspector Dr Samantha Farrar said: "I cannot stress enough the importance of watching out for other people and keeping speed down when driving tractors, especially when visibility is restricted."

According to statistics from the HSE, although the fatal accident rate in agriculture is beginning to fall, it still has the highest rate in all industries.

Posted by Lindsey French

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