Firms fined over driver's death

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Two companies have been fined for health and safety breaches after a lorry driver was crushed when a steel beam fell from his vehicle.

Nicholas McKellar, 45, died following the incident in Leith, Edinburgh, last October.

Haulage firm Ron Boyd Group, who employed Mr McKellar, and steel-makers McDonald and Ross were fined a total of £37,500 at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

The Health and Safety Executive warned that loads should be properly secured.

The court heard that Ron Boyd had been hired by McDonald and Ross to transport beams from a construction site in Edinburgh.

When Mr McKellar began to remove the load one of the beams, weighing one tonne, dislodged and he was crushed.

Fractured arm

He suffered a heart attack and fractured arm and ribs and died shortly after being admitted to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

McDonald and Ross pleaded guilty to failing to ensure the timber bearers on the lorry were long enough and failing to carry out a proper risk assessment.

The Dalkeith-based firm was fined £30,000.

Ron Boyd, also based in Dalkeith, admitted failing to give their driver proper training and was fined £7,500.

Mr McKellar had worked for the firm for only six weeks before the accident, but had worked previously for another haulage company.

This incident could easily have been prevented Isabelle MartinHSE

Fiscal Depute, Angie Main, told the court that the beam may have moved during its transportation to the construction site because of the length of the timber packing bearers.

She added that Mr McKellar had not been given the proper instruction on which retaining straps to remove first.

Advocate, John Thomson, for McDonald and Ross, admitted that "a number of things had gone wrong".

Advocate, Steve Love, for Ron Boyd Group, said the tragic consequences of the accident had taken a toll of the health of the company's owner, Mr Ron Boyd.

Both companies expressed their sympathy and deep regret to the family of Mr McKellar.

After the case, Health and Safety Executive inspector Isabelle Martin said: "It is entirely foreseeable that a load on a vehicle will move during transit on the road.

"This incident could, therefore, easily have been prevented."