A parcel delivery firm has admitted safety failings after a worker was crushed to death at its Lanarkshire depot.
David Kennedy, 43, had just started training on new equipment for moving trailers when he was involved in an accident.
He was rushed to hospital with serious chest injuries but died two days later.
Hermes Parcelnet Limited admitted that its breaches of health and safety legislation led to the worker’s death at Eurocentral in March 2019.
Imran Bashir, prosecuting, told Hamilton Sheriff Court that Mr Kennedy had been with the company for around 20 years and was described as a “competent and hard-working” employee.
The firm employed up to 100 people at its Eurocentral depot where parcels were loaded and unloaded around the clock.
The company had introduced trailer movers at its depots and workers were being shown how to attach these to trailers and move the trailers in and out of loading bays.
Mr Bashir said the night shift worker had started his training only 30 minutes before the accident.
At that point he should have still been at the “classroom assessment” stage.
Mr Bashir told the court: “Training on the trailer itself should not have taken place until the second hour.
“In addition, there was no appropriate supervision. The other two men with Mr Kennedy should have been acting as ‘banksmen’ and telling him if he was too close to a stationary trailer.
“CCTV shows the trainer was at times in a position where he was unable to see and correct any mistakes that were being made.”
Mr Bashir added: “Some operatives did not feel comfortable using the mover and felt training should have lasted longer.”
Hermes, which has since re-branded as Evri, has no previous convictions for health and safety offences.
Its lawyer said it takes such matters “extremely seriously” and expressed its “deepest sympathy” to Mr Kennedy’s family.
Hermes had been assured by depot general managers throughout the UK that implementation of the new trailer mover system had been going well.
The lawyer added: “In hindsight, the company accepts that this assurance should not have been accepted without some form of independent confirmation taking place.”
Sheriff Colin Dunipace said: “I appreciate the huge sense of loss that must be felt by family and friends. My deepest sympathy goes to all affected by this tragedy.”
The sheriff will sentence the company next month.
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