Farm partnership fined £80k after fatal tyre explosion
© Adobe Stock A farm partnership in Lancashire has been fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £8,605 by Preston Magistrates’ Court after a fatal tyre explosion.
The incident happened at a dairy farm in Hutton near Preston on 7 May 2021, where Joshua Hardman, 23, a father-of-one from Longridge, was working as a farmhand at the farm run by W Hesketh and Sons.
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Mr Hardman was helping to reseat and inflate a large tractor tyre, when the inner tube suddenly exploded.
The catastrophic release of compressed air propelled the wheel rim into Mr Hardman, causing traumatic head injuries.
He was taken to hospital and underwent skull and brain surgeries, but subsequently died on 11 June 2021 after his condition deteriorated.
In a statement, his family said: “Joshua was a very loving, caring, kind and gentle person. He had a heart of gold.
“His five-year-old daughter will miss out on a great deal of love and affection and the role he would have played in her life.”
HSE investigation
In its investigation, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that W Hesketh and Sons failed to properly assess and plan this work activity.
The company failed to identify and put in place measures necessary to control the risks involved when inflating large commercial tyres, the HSE said.
The investigation also found that the risk of an explosion was much higher because the tyre, wheel rim and inner tube were all in a poorly maintained condition.
A suitable and sufficient assessment had not been made to determine whether the damaged tyre, inner tube and wheel rim were suitable to be inflated safely.
W Hesketh and Sons, of Grange Lane, Hutton, Preston, pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 2(1) of the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974.
HSE inspector Anthony Banks said the tragic incident could have easily been avoided with the right controls in place.
Tyre removal, replacement and inflation should only be tackled by competent staff and HSE guidance should be followed.