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Man not qualified to drive truck that crushed Carlisle work mate, inquest told
By Phil Coleman
Last updated at 13:13, Thursday, 22 December 2011
A trainee scaffolder who reversed a truck he was not qualified to drive accidentally crushed a young work colleague, causing a fatal injury, a jury has ruled.
Gary Mellor Carlisle man crushed to death by colleague's reversing truck - inquest
An inquest in Carlisle heard harrowing evidence of the accident which cost the life of popular 20-year-old Gary Mellor. He suffered a ruptured liver after his fellow worker Aaron Turnbull, 29, accidentally reversed into him, crushing him against scaffolding at a building site in Aspatria.
The inquest heard claims from some witnesses – including Mr Turnbull – that it was common practice among employees of M&M Scaffolding who did not have a HGV licence to move lorries on building sites.
Two bosses from the firm who gave evidence denied this, saying it would be a sacking offence for an unqualified driver to do that.
In his evidence, Mr Turnbull confirmed he has an ordinary driving licence but no HGV licence.
Despite that fact, on May 7 last year, he reversed one of M&M Scaffolding’s 18 ton flat bed lorries to prepare for a job at a building site in North Road, Aspatria, as Mr Mellor guided him backwards.
The lorry briefly pinned Mr Mellor against scaffolding erected around a partly built house, leaving him with fatal internal injuries.
In his evidence, Mr Turnbull, from Raffles, Carlisle, said the accident happened as Mr Mellor quickly tried to squeeze himself through a gap behind the lorry. “It was a split second,” he told the jury, saying he had been reversing very slowly at the time.
The inquest heard evidence from his boss at M&M Scaffolding, Michael Graham, including a transcript of his police interview.
He denied a suggestion from employee Dean Shaw, who has now left the firm, that it was Aaron Turnbull who drove the lorry to Aspatria.
He said he was unaware that the centre seat in the lorry – which had no seat belt and was used by a worker that day – was not bolted down, and therefore illegal.
He said: “As far as I was concerned, it was bolted down. I’m hardly ever in the wagons.”
He insisted it was him who drove the lorry to Aspatria.
Asked about the claim that workers without HGV qualifications regularly moved wagons, he replied: “No – I don’t agree with that at all. Those wagons, because of their size, don’t go out unless they’ve got a trained driver.”
He said unqualified drivers should not drive wagons “It’s a dismissal offence,” he said.
He denied ever telling Mr Turnbull – as he claimed – that he could drive a lorry on private land even though he did not have a HGV licence. On the day of the tragedy, he said, he arrived at Aspatria at around 7.50am, and then after speaking to staff left in his van for Cockermouth.
Mr Turnbull called him at 7.57am as he arrived in Cockermouth to say that Mr Mellor was injured, he said.
His colleague Martin Chung was asked if it was made clear to employees that they should not use lorries if they do not have the right licence.
He replied: “It’s very clear. They are told: you don’t get in a vehicle unless you have a licence. Aaron knows fine well he’s not to move vehicles.”
He said Mr Mellor, from Mount Pleasant Road, Currock, was a “model employee.”
He added that Mr Turnbull, who he described as a “good scaffolder,” was a trainee” at the job who had no qualifications. Mr Turnbull no longer works for the firm. The jury returned an accidental death verdict.
By Phil Coleman
Last updated at 13:13, Thursday, 22 December 2011
A trainee scaffolder who reversed a truck he was not qualified to drive accidentally crushed a young work colleague, causing a fatal injury, a jury has ruled.
Gary Mellor Carlisle man crushed to death by colleague's reversing truck - inquest
An inquest in Carlisle heard harrowing evidence of the accident which cost the life of popular 20-year-old Gary Mellor. He suffered a ruptured liver after his fellow worker Aaron Turnbull, 29, accidentally reversed into him, crushing him against scaffolding at a building site in Aspatria.
The inquest heard claims from some witnesses – including Mr Turnbull – that it was common practice among employees of M&M Scaffolding who did not have a HGV licence to move lorries on building sites.
Two bosses from the firm who gave evidence denied this, saying it would be a sacking offence for an unqualified driver to do that.
In his evidence, Mr Turnbull confirmed he has an ordinary driving licence but no HGV licence.
Despite that fact, on May 7 last year, he reversed one of M&M Scaffolding’s 18 ton flat bed lorries to prepare for a job at a building site in North Road, Aspatria, as Mr Mellor guided him backwards.
The lorry briefly pinned Mr Mellor against scaffolding erected around a partly built house, leaving him with fatal internal injuries.
In his evidence, Mr Turnbull, from Raffles, Carlisle, said the accident happened as Mr Mellor quickly tried to squeeze himself through a gap behind the lorry. “It was a split second,” he told the jury, saying he had been reversing very slowly at the time.
The inquest heard evidence from his boss at M&M Scaffolding, Michael Graham, including a transcript of his police interview.
He denied a suggestion from employee Dean Shaw, who has now left the firm, that it was Aaron Turnbull who drove the lorry to Aspatria.
He said he was unaware that the centre seat in the lorry – which had no seat belt and was used by a worker that day – was not bolted down, and therefore illegal.
He said: “As far as I was concerned, it was bolted down. I’m hardly ever in the wagons.”
He insisted it was him who drove the lorry to Aspatria.
Asked about the claim that workers without HGV qualifications regularly moved wagons, he replied: “No – I don’t agree with that at all. Those wagons, because of their size, don’t go out unless they’ve got a trained driver.”
He said unqualified drivers should not drive wagons “It’s a dismissal offence,” he said.
He denied ever telling Mr Turnbull – as he claimed – that he could drive a lorry on private land even though he did not have a HGV licence. On the day of the tragedy, he said, he arrived at Aspatria at around 7.50am, and then after speaking to staff left in his van for Cockermouth.
Mr Turnbull called him at 7.57am as he arrived in Cockermouth to say that Mr Mellor was injured, he said.
His colleague Martin Chung was asked if it was made clear to employees that they should not use lorries if they do not have the right licence.
He replied: “It’s very clear. They are told: you don’t get in a vehicle unless you have a licence. Aaron knows fine well he’s not to move vehicles.”
He said Mr Mellor, from Mount Pleasant Road, Currock, was a “model employee.”
He added that Mr Turnbull, who he described as a “good scaffolder,” was a trainee” at the job who had no qualifications. Mr Turnbull no longer works for the firm. The jury returned an accidental death verdict.
