Bin worker's lorry crush death 'foreseeable'

David Carpenter had been a binman since the age of 18

A council refuse collector was crushed to death in a "foreseeable" accident on a residential round in Coventry, an inquest has concluded.

David Carpenter's coat became entangled in the lifting equipment on 19 January 2023 before he was dropped in the back of the bin lorry as an automatic compaction cycle started.

In delivering their narrative verdict, jurors said evidence showed the vehicle could have been safer.

The manufacturer Dennis Eagle Ltd said it respected the jury's conclusion and had released an upgrade to improve safety.

The jury concluded sensors were activated after the 60-year-old leaned over the working machinery.

"Evidence shows that additional mechanical and safety features would have made the RCV [refuse collection vehicle] safer," they said.

They concluded it was likely a transparent screen impeded Mr Carpenter's access to an emergency stop button and he probably thought the vehicle's rear was safe to enter.

Mr Carpenter was a keen fisherman

Evidence presented to them showed the risk of a person's clothing becoming entangled was "foreseeable" the jury foreman said, describing a risk assessment as "inadequate, insufficient and incomplete".

They also noted there was no specific training on how refuse workers should remove debris from a machine.

"A culture of under reporting incidents and near misses contributed to increased risk of missed opportunities to keep Mr Carpenter safe," jurors added.

The grandfather, an experienced refuse collector of more than 40 years, was on Guild Road in the Foleshill area on the morning of his death.

The coroner's court previously heard he had been described by relatives as a warm, humble and loving family man.

He had been collecting bins from the side of the road and emptying them into the lorry with driver Rafal Gancarz and fellow operative Sean Isherwood.

The crew were collecting bins in the Foleshill area

According to a union official, Mr Carpenter had been "agitated and stressed" before starting his shift due to a dispute with a supervisor.

At about 10:00 GMT, his jacket got caught in the lifting equipment at the back of the lorry.

A member of the public saw him thrown into the vehicle's rear before alerting Mr Isherwood, who hit the truck's emergency stop button.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Claire Chetwynd, Mr Carpenter's stepdaughter, said he was a devoted refuse collector and described the role as "crucial yet often overlooked" by society.

“Health and Safety is not a luxury," she said.

"It is essential to preserving the lives of every worker, especially those who perform these essential roles.

“We hope David's legacy will be that no other refuse collector is killed and that health and safety is never again taken for granted."

Claire Chetwynd, Mr Carpenter's stepdaughter, said health and safety was "not a luxury"

Family lawyer Karl De-Loyde, of Thompsons Solicitors, said: "Sadly, these failings mean that this was a tragedy waiting to happen.

"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."

The coroner confirmed he would issue a prevention of future deaths report due to concerns he had relating to vehicle manufacturer Dennis Eagle.

In a statement released after the inquest, the firm said safeguarding all operators and the general public was 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."

Mr Carpenter was described as a warm, humble and loving family man

It added that its products met or exceeded "all relevant standards and regulations" and would continue to work with others including the Health and Safety Executive and industry partners.

The coroner's court had previously heard concerns raised about training and whether the correct actions were carried out by employees on the morning in question.

Specific training

"I'm going to suggest that on the day in question there were a number of things going on that were not part of the training," said Simon Hilton, representing Dennis Eagle.

But multiple refuse collectors told jurors they had never received specific training on how to clear stuck rubbish.

Mr Carpenter's colleagues Kieran Jones and Steven Jackson, who have decades of experience between them, told the court they had not been told anything specific about how to clear debris that got stuck at a lorry's rear.

The inquest was told other staff also got caught on lifting equipment, and that blockages could lead to equipment going up and down automatically.

Jacqueline Goode, a convener for Unite the Union, explained refuse workers did a "very, very hazardous job" but were unlikely to formally report things due to paperwork.

"They just want to get finished and go home," Ms Goode said. "They don't want to be filling forms out. That is the issue we have."

A spokesperson for Coventry City Council said Mr Carpenter was a "much-loved and a popular crew member" and its thoughts were 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," they added.