David Oldham: McLaren fined £650,000 over engineer's death

The McLaren brand centre toured Grand Prix meetings

A division of motor racing firm McLaren has been fined £650,000 over the death of an engineer at a warehouse.

Senior engineer David Oldham, 55, fell to his death while inspecting a temporary building at the warehouse in Maidenhead, Berkshire, in October 2016.

Last month, McLaren Services was found guilty of two health and safety charges relating to his death.

Zurich Management Services, Mr Oldham's employer, was found not guilty of a safety offence.

Mr Oldham fell from height while inspecting McLaren's Formula One brand centre - a mobile building taken to Grand Prix races.

Reading Crown Court heard the building had been set up and dismantled 183 times before Mr Oldham fell.

It was also the fifth time Mr Oldham, described as a "very experienced inspector", had looked at the structure.

'Unable to sleep'

The court was told people had been advised to stay two metres from the edge but it was not in any written documents.

Mr Oldham fell on 18 November, the second day of the inspection, and was taken to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford but died the next day.

Mr Oldham's wife, Patricia, told the court she was still unable to sleep at night, six years after the incident.

Appearing by videolink, she said: "I am especially lonely and I feel like a burden to all my family.

"I miss my husband so much. The pain breaks my heart. Every night I say goodnight to David and every morning I expect to have him still beside me.

"My darling husband's life was taken away from him. On the same day my life ended too."

'Powerful words'

She said her children were traumatised and her six granddaughters had also been affected.

Health and Safety Executive inspector Saffron Turnell said: "Patricia's powerful words make clear the impact David's loss has had on her life.

"Work at height is a high-risk activity and falls can result in life-changing injuries and death. It's the number one reason why people like David didn't get home from work.

"Those responsible to ensure his health and safety failed to do so."

McLaren was also asked to pay £110,132 in costs.

Alex Stein, prosecuting, previously said McLaren Services had updated its health and safety policy in December 2016.