Newcastle Company Fined Over Heathrow Staff Death
Sharon MillerA fine of £90,000 was imposed on a company at the Old Bailey following the accidental death of an engineer.
Fifty-year-old maintenance engineer Mohammed Taj was crushed to death by an electric vehicle at Heathrow Airport. The man died during an inspection in March 2008 when a “tug”, a vehicle used to pull baggage and supplies, collapsed on his head.
The engineer had been checking the vehicle’s brakes. It had no other support when it dropped on him.
The company responsible for the accidental death, Aviance UK of Newcastle, admitted to breaching health and safety regulation.
Mr Taj was inspecting the vehicle, which brings supplies to aircrafts, as it was jacked up from the rear.
The court heard that Mr Taj had asked a colleague to adjust the steering on the tug when it toppled over.
Aviance UK pleaded guilty to a charge of not ensuring the safety of its staff.
Judge Richard Hawkins said despite the incident, the company had not deliberately breached the law, adding that the prosecution had accepted the fact that Aviance UK had maintained a good safety record.
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Filed under Health & Environment, UK News