A young Somerset farm worker was killed when the tractor she was driving overturned, a court has heard.
Bristol Crown Court fined her employer a total of £80,000 and ordered them to pay £40,000 in costs.
In a prosecution brought by the Health and Safety Executive, the court heard that dairy staff regularly used the tractor at the farm. Ms Webb had been checking cattle and was driving down a sloping field on her way back when the tractor rolled over. It overturned twice before righting itself and continued moving in circles until it came to rest against a fence.
It is thought that Ms Webb was thrown off and crushed as the tractor overturned.
The HSE investigation revealed the tractor had no roll-over protection system (consisting of a roll bar and seat restraint). In addition, the brake pedals could not be linked together, making it unsuitable to be driven on the road, and there had been a lack of risk assessment for the type of work being carried out.
There was no effective training in place for workers using the tractor.
Ms Webb’s supervisor had no formal training qualifications, but had been allowed to show her how to use the machine during an unmonitored session.
The company also permitted the use of the tractor on the road and in the yard without a roll bar, in breach of the relevant regulations, and without a seatbelt. It failed to monitor the use of the tractor and to appreciate it was being used on a sloping field.
The company pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £80,000.
"Simple steps could have avoided a needless fatality,” said HSE inspector Leo Diez after the hearing.
"Tractors must have some form of roll-over protection for the driver, including a cab or a roll bar and a seat restraint. Farm workers must be given training on how to use equipment properly. It is also vital that machinery is maintained and crucial items like the brake pedals, are working properly.
“Farmers need to supervise their employees and ensure they are aware of the risks associated with their work and how to control the risks."
Ms Webb’s father, Terry Webb, said: "Our family has been devastated by losing Kim.
"Inexperienced farm workers, especially young people, must be given proper training and supervision when handling potentially dangerous machinery and not just left to get on with the job. They must also be provided with all the right safety equipment to protect them.
"My daughter paid for this lack of care with her life. I do not want more families to go through the dreadful experience of losing a loved one needlessly.”
- Further information on tractor safety can be found on the HSE website, here.
- Visit the NFUonline farm safety channel here.