The family of a “much-loved” Coventry binman who was crushed after being unintentionally lifted into a bin lorry say more has to be done to keep other workers safe. David Carpenter, 60, was tragically killed at work on Guild Road in Foleshill last year.
A jury inquest declared the municipal council worker’s death an accident yesterday (22 April.) On the other hand, it also discovered that the possibility of someone being hoisted due to clothing becoming caught in machinery was “foreseeable.”
The jurors’ conclusion also emphasised a “culture of under-reporting” near-misses and a lack of specialised training on clearing debris from machinery. Following the conclusion of the inquiry, stepdaughter Claire Chetwynd spoke on behalf of the family, referring to Mr. Carpenter as a “cherished and much-loved partner, son, Dad, brother, Grandad and friend.”
He was a “devoted refuse collector, a crucial yet often overlooked role integral to the health of everyone in this City and throughout the UK,” she said. However, she also emphasised “alarming” information that had surfaced during the inquest, which was held over the course of the previous two weeks at Coventry Council meetings.
“We were concerned by the revelations during the inquest regarding the inadequate training for refuse collectors, particularly on how to safely clear blockages in the equipment—a routine hazard in their daily work,” the spokeswoman stated. It is a serious error that they have historically not had thorough training and risk assessments for such a basic part of their work. Coventry City Council has amended its training and guidance rules, but more needs to be done.
“When there is any kind of debris to clear, workers need to know exactly what is expected of them and who is in charge of overseeing the process.” David would still be with us now if these policies and procedures had been in place when he was employed.
“We also share the coroner’s worry that it is up to the individual decide whether or not to update the software on the cars that are still in use in the UK. This ought to be required. To safeguard these essential employees, immediate action is required to address these problems.”
“We sincerely appreciate the Jury and the coroner’s time,” she continued. We also appreciate the cooperation from Thompsons Solicitors and Unite the Union. We also commend the media for exposing these important safety risks and for their sensitive reporting.
By drawing attention to these institutional flaws, we hope that no other family will have to suffer the kind of avoidable tragedy that we did. It is imperative to prioritise health and safety above all else in order to protect the lives of all employees, particularly those who carry out these vital tasks.
It is our goal that David’s legacy will be the prevention of garbage collection deaths and the realisation that health and safety should never be compromised.”
“A tragedy waiting to happen”
Following the completion of the inquest, Karl De-Loyde, the Thompsons Solicitors attorney defending the family with backing from Unite the Union, also spoke. He stated: “The family is understandably still processing their loss, so this has been a very trying period for them.
“The court heard unequivocal evidence during the inquiry on the major shortcomings in the vehicle’s safety, the Council’s inability to learn from past accidents, and the serious shortcomings in the risk assessments that were in place at the time of Mr. Carpenter’s death. Unfortunately, this was a tragedy waiting to happen because of these shortcomings.
“It is now imperative that the vehicle manufacturer takes on board the points made by the coroner, and we support the family’s call for software checks and updates to the bin lorries to be made mandatory to prevent future loss of life.”
Before the inquest, Area Coroner Delroy Henry gave details of prevention of future death reports. These are documents that coroners write to groups where it is believed action should be taken to prevent future deaths.
He said would not be making a prevention of future deaths report to the city council. He said the council had put in a revised risk assessment and had been “proactive” in engaging with bin lorry manufacturer Dennis Eagle on retrofitting safety equipment.
But he said he would be making a report to bin lorry makers Dennis Eagle. Explaining the decision, he said: “It’s the thousands of lorries as I heard, in short, are of a sub-optimal safety.”
A significant number need improvements and “we are now 15 months on since David’s death,” he added. The firm’s customers involve other local authorities and their machines lift millions of bins every day, he said.
Council statement
A spokesperson for Coventry City Council said: “David Carpenter was a much-loved and a popular crew member and our thoughts are with his family, friends and work colleagues. The Council will continue to consider all of the evidence given at the inquest and to work with all partners to ensure that the waste services industry remains as safe as it possibly can be.”
Dennis Eagle statement
Dennis Eagle said: “All of us at Dennis Eagle Ltd are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Mr Carpenter and wish to express our deepest sympathies towards his family, friends and colleagues.. We would also like to express our utmost gratitude towards the Jury in this matter, and respect the conclusions that have been drawn.
“The proceedings have been extensive and thorough, and have
provided us (and the waste management industry, more generally) with valuable insights and awareness. Safeguarding all Operators using our products, together with the general public, is a top priority.
“With this in mind, we will continue to update our products as technologies develop and have already made available to our customers an upgrade which enhances the safety of existing products in service. We have never compromised on safety and never will.
“All of our products meet or exceed all relevant standards and regulations.
We will continue to work closely with our colleagues at the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), our industry partners, (including our valued customers and other manufacturers) and all relevant Standards Authorities.
“We extend our sincere appreciation to all parties involved in this matter, including Coventry City Council, the HSE and the Coroner’s Service.”
