A farmer from Exeter has been fined following an incident at his farm whereby a youngster employee suffered severe head accidents when a 16t dumper he was driving overturned.

The 19-year-old ended up in intensive care, nevertheless he made a full restoration.

In 2019 he had been paid by the farmer, Ricard Palfrey, to maneuver materials as a part of enchancment works at Higher Kingswell Farm.

Palfrey was additionally paying {the teenager}’s 16-year-old pal to do the job. A Well being and Security Government (HSE) investigation discovered that Palfrey did not ask both boy their age or enquire into their coaching or expertise working dumpers.

It additionally discovered that the route he had requested the boys to take was inappropriate because it was steeper than the dumper producer mentioned the machine may work on, and that the seat belt was lined with a fertiliser bag, that means it couldn’t be worn.

Pictures: HSE

Palfry pleaded responsible to breaching  Part 3(1)  of the Well being & Security at Work and many others. Act 1974 at Yeovil Magistrates’ Court docket.

He was fined £8,000  and ordered to pay prices of £15,324.40.

Talking after the listening to, HSE inspector Simon Jones mentioned: “Farmers ought to be sure that solely property educated and certified folks use work gear on their farms.

“Farmers ought to be sure that any gear that they supply is secure to make use of.

“On this case, Mr. Palfrey allowed younger and inexperienced staff to function work gear that would not be used safely.

“A dumper ought to solely ever be operated by a educated driver and the seat belt ought to all the time be worn.

“These younger and untrained staff ought to by no means have been allowed to function the farm dumper,” Jones continued.

“Younger staff want cautious nurturing and damaging them on this method can have an effect on their future growth.

“If Mr. Palfrey had made the correct checks then this younger employee wouldn’t have sustained the life threatening head accidents.”