In November 2008, the employee was crushed by the digger. It rolled backwards and inflicted fatal injuries.  Although the vehicle had been on a ramp, it was ruled that the rear wheels were ‘inadequately secured’. As a result, the vehicle rolled off the ramp and compressed his chest, suffocating him.

Despite being an experienced mobile plant fitter, he hadn’t previously carried out this task. The company failed to supervise him and provide the appropriate training and expected him to establish his own method of supporting the digger.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety laws and was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive over the incident.

HSE Inspector Norman Buchanan said: "He should have received adequate information, training and supervision from his employers, which Leiths did not provide. It is wholly unacceptable his employers left him unsupervised to devise his own means of working on such a risky repair job."

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