UK coroner wants 'action' after man died following tractor handbrake failure

Source: Library image
Source: Library image

A UK coroner has called for action "to prevent future deaths" from the country's Department for Transport after a man died from his injuries following a tractor handbrake failure.

The coroner believes there is a risk of future deaths because currently in the UK "there are no legal requirements for the servicing and maintenance of agricultural tractors which do not fall within the requirements of the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the associated regulations".

An investigation by the coroner for the coroner area of West Sussex, Brighton and Hove, found that Richard Ellis died in October 2023 in west Sussex from injuries he sustained when a tractor struck him.

In her report Joanne Andrews detailed that Ellis had been "contracted to collect an electricity generator from a property which was accessed via a track on a country estate".

He collected the generator from the property but due to the narrow nature of the track was unable to turn his vehicle around to drive out forwards.

Ellis reversed down the track but became stuck on an incline facing upwards as the wheels of his Isuzu pick up truck and trailer had become stuck in a ditch which ran alongside the track.

Andrews outlined in her coroner's report that workers from the country estate then attempted to tow Ellis out using a 1996 Valmet 8130 tractor.

"The estate workers placed the tractor facing downhill pointing towards the front of the deceased’s Isuzu which was facing up the incline.

"The trailer was detached at that time. A strap was attached between the front of the Isuzu and the front of the tractor. The tractor reversed and pulled the Isuzu from the ditch. The Isuzu became free whilst still on the incline.

"The deceased (Richard Ellis) and tractor driver both got out of their vehicles and detached  the towing  strap.  The tractor driver had placed  the handbrake  on the tractor prior to leaving the cab. The tractor handbrake then failed and allowed the tractor to roll down the incline onto its driver and the deceased," the report stated.

The deceased sadly died at the scene from his injuries.

Andrews said that during the course of the investigation her inquiries revealed matters giving rise to concern including the fact that the maintenance of agricultural tractors "is dependent on the discretion of the vehicle owners".

According to the coroner the handbrake was examined after the incident which "demonstrated that the pawl of the handbrake was significantly worn and would likely have slipped previously".

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In her report she stated that "the evidence of the tractor driver was that he had no concerns about the operation of the handbrake prior to this event".  

Andrews also outlined that the tractor had last been serviced in 2021.

"The evidence that I heard was that it was not a legal requirement for there to be any prescribed maintenance or servicing of tractors solely used for agricultural, horticultural or forestry," she stated.

The coroner said that "in the circumstances it is my statutory duty" to report this to the UK Department of Transport because it has the power to take "action" in relation to the current law on the "mainentance of agricultural tractors".

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