MAN DIED AFTER STEEL GATES FELL FROM LORRY

Driver was transporting 470kg items

AN HGV driver who was crushed when heavy gates fell on top of him died as a result of a tragic accident.

Andrew Bayley-machin was unstrapping a load on a lorry when the galvanised steel gates toppled over and struck his head.

The 41-year-old – described by his devastated family as ‘so special’ and a ‘lovely’ person – suffered multiple injuries.

He passed away after being taken to the Royal Stoke University Hospital.

Now an inquest jury has ruled that his death was an accident.

Mr Bayley-machin was working for Cheddleton-based LM Bateman, which manufactures agricultural equipment, when the incident happened on June 20, 2018. He had picked up a lorryload of items from galvanisers Joseph Ash earlier that day.

It included 10 gates which had been banded together and were resting on top of the other goods.

They weighed more than 470 kilograms and had been restrained on the vehicle using just two straps.

The inquest heard that it was not routine practice to help drivers check a load was safe before the straps were released.

On the day, Mr Bayley-machin drove into the yard at Batemans at around 3.30pm. He began undoing the straps, ready for a forklift truck driver to begin unloading.

The yard supervisor, who was assisting a colleague at the time, saw the wagon arrive on the site.

He recalled hearing a ‘bang’ as one of the straps went slack. He found Mr Bayley-machin lying on the floor by the side of the vehicle.

A first aider began working on the injured driver while ambulance staff were on their way. But Mr Bayley-machin, of Park Drive, Cheadle, was so seriously hurt that they couldn’t save him.

At the inquest, staff from both Batemans and Joseph Ash were quizzed about who was responsible for checking a load was secure.

Batemans said it was the lorry driver, while Joseph Ash staff said Mr Bayley-machin seemed fine with the load when he left.

Following the jury’s conclusion, North Staffordshire area coroner Emma Serrano raised several concerns. She said: “The points include load planning and the responsibility for checking the load before it is unstrapped.”

But she decided not to issue a prevention of future deaths report after hearing that steps have since been taken to strengthen practices and guidance within the industry.

Stephen Morgan, representing Batemans, said improvement notices had also been complied with following discussions with the Health and Safety Executive.

“Matters are very different from what they were,” he added.