A national tyre repair company owned by Halfords Group has just been fined £600,000 after a 21-year-old employee was crushed and died when a vehicle dropped onto him.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Halford Commercial Fleet Services (Halfords CFS), which was formerly known as Lodge Tyre Company when it was bought by Halfords Group in 2022, had not properly assessed the risks.
The employer also had not been monitoring the young tyre technician properly despite him having qualified to do roadside repairs only a few months previously.
HSE principal inspector Laura Royales said: “This case should serve to highlight to employers the importance of properly assessing the risks to which their workers are exposed and providing the right information and instructions, supplemented by adequate monitoring and supervision arrangements, to ensure that they can and do work safely.”
In August 2024 Niall Fawcett was called out to do a roadside replacement of a blown-out tyre on a low-profile truck on the slip road at junction 7 of the M56 motorway, not far from Manchester Airport.
Fatal head injuries
While he was positioned beneath the truck it slipped from the bottle jack, the HSE reported.
It fell, the HSE prosecution was told, tragically causing fatal head injuries to Fawcett, who was due to marry his girlfriend Megan in 2025, according to an impact statement from his mother.
In the investigation and prosecution, the HSE found that Halford CFS had not properly assessed the risks associated with replacing a blown-out tyre on a low-profile vehicle, and it had also failed to give employees suitable work instructions, including information on when a truck should be recovered rather than repaired at the roadside.
Halfords has said it has invested in continuously improving health and safety culture at its business, and it extends its deepest sympathies with Fawcett’s family.
Inadequate monitoring or supervision
Fawcett (pictured) had gained a licence to work on commercial tyres at the roadside less than four months before the tragic incident, when he joined Halford CFS.
The HSE was critical that despite this, he had not been subject to any monitoring or supervision to ensure that he was working safely.
Fawcett’s mother, Sharon, said in her victim personal statement: “Niall was only 21 years old when he died. He had his whole life ahead of him. He was planning to marry the following year and he and Megan were saving for a deposit on their first home together and talking about starting a family. Niall was building for a life he was excited for and this was taken from him in an instant. Niall went to work that day and should have been safe, supported and protected. Instead, my son never came home.”
Halfords CFS pleaded guilty
Halfords CFS pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. At Warrington Magistrates Court this week Halfords CFS was fined £600,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £200 and £24,203.
Halfords Commercial Fleet Services operates from a network of 92 locations, supported by more than 500 mobile service vans nationwide.
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After the court case, Automotive Management asked Halfords for response and details of any action is it implementing to address the failings highlighted by the HSE.
In a statement, a company spokesperson said: “This was a tragic incident and we extend our deepest sympathies to Mr Fawcett’s family.
“We have co-operated fully with the Health and Safety Executive throughout its investigation, and note the Court’s decision in this matter.
“The health and safety of our colleagues is our highest priority, and we are committed to continually reviewing and strengthening our approach.
“Both prior to, and since the incident in 2024, we have invested in continuously improving our health and safety culture.
“More recently we have adopted industry-leading standards, delivered comprehensive training for colleagues, and undertaken detailed risk assessments to identify and address potential hazards.”