Injuries Direct - Personal Injury Claims

A Cotswold farm business has been fined £65,000 after admitting their breaches of health and safety caused a man’s death.

Daylesford Organic Farms Ltd, run by the owners of agriculture vehicles company JCB, was also ordered to pay £27,500 in legal costs.

Anthony Cripps, 57, died after being run over by a seven-tonne JCB digger. He was riding in the digger’s bucket picking elderflowers to make lemonade. However, he was thrown out of the bucket and onto the ground when the vehicle took a bump on the field.

The company admitted that it had failed to ensure the safety of its employees after it was revealed that the driver of the vehicle, Gareth Trueman, had not been formally trained to use it.

Mr Cripps leaves behind a widow and three adult children. It is likely that they will be able to make an accident at work compensation claim on behalf of him following the company’s admission.

A Daylesford Organic Farms Ltd spokesperson said: “Since this tragic accident, a number of steps have been taken by the business to improve health and safety. We strive to minimise workplace risk at all times so that accidents like this can never happen again.”