Contractors fined £75,000 after man crushed by digger

Father of three Darren Richardson, 42, was crushed to death while working on a site in December, 2014, when an excavator backed towards a dumper truck.

Mr Richardson’s employer, RMB Contractors, of Ambergate, Derbyshire, plead guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Sheffield Crown Court heard that as the excavator was working back towards the dumper, Mr Richardson was crushed between the two pieces of machinery. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

As well as receiving a fine, RMB Contractors was ordered to pay £24,482.80 costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Medani Close said: “Back-to-back plant activities should be avoided as both pedestrians and vehicles could be put at a higher risk of coming into contact with each other. If the two separate work activities cannot be avoided then the area should be safeguarded and effectively managed with segregation in place, for example using fencing or barriers to delineate the ‘no go’ areas for pedestrians.”