Manslaughter trial told Hipperholme worker's death was 'awful'

A director of a garden supplies firm said the death of an employee who was crushed by a robotic arm was "awful", Bradford Crown Court heard.

Andrew Tibbott, 48, was killed by the machine at Deco-Pak in Hipperholme, West Yorkshire in April 2017.

Two of the firms owners, Michael Hall and Rodney Slater have denied charges of manslaughter by gross negligence.

Mr Hall's son David Hall told the jury he had never heard his father being negative about health and safety.

Giving evidence, David Hall said the death was "a tragedy which we regret and are very remorseful for and we offer our deepest condolences to his family and friends".

He added, on behalf of the company, that Mr Tibbott was in no way responsible for what had happened to him.

The court had previously heard how the engineer was pinned by a robotic arm to a conveyor belt after he walked through a gap in the safety fencing next to the packaging machine at the firm's premises on Halifax Road. He was only discovered when concerned family members went to the site later that evening.

Mr Tibbott died of crush injuries to his chest.

Deco-Pak had pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety Act at the first court hearing last year.

It accepted that it had failed to do what was reasonably practicable to protect workers on the packaging machines, including the machine which killed Mr Tibbott.

Mr Hall said the firm also accepted that the gap in the fencing round the machine and the lack of an interlock on the red gate was unacceptable.

Managing director Michael Hall, 64, of Hullen Edge Lane, Elland, admitted a health and safety breach, but denies a charge of manslaughter by gross negligence.

Another director, Rodney Slater, 62, of Wellbank View, Rochdale, denies the same manslaughter allegation and the health and safety breach.

The trial continues.

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