Family's Heartache as Firm Fined £140k after Dad's Death
Anthony Clark went to work one day and never came home following a tragic and terrible incident.
Loved ones of an adored dad who was killed while unloading a lorry trailer at work have spoken of their unimaginable grief.
Anthony Clark, 51, worked for GCS Johnson Limited, a truck company based in North Yorkshire. In August 2018, the father-of-two was helping move a large piece of machinery from one trailer to another at the company’s depot, at Barton Quarry industrial estate, in Richmond.
As a team of workers moved the piece of machinery, tragedy struck and it fell from the bed of the vehicle hitting Anthony. He was killed instantly.
Anthony, a grandfather-of-two and an avid Sunderland fan, had recently got engaged to his fiancé Marie. On the day of his funeral, he was due to leave on a cruise with Marie.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that when the workers were transferring the load for shipment, the machinery was in two parts and the smaller section fell free during the lifting operation. This caused the part of machinery to strike Anthony, who lived in Darlington, resulting in immediate fatal injuries.
HSE has detailed guidance on the provision and use of work equipment. On Wednesday, GCS Johnson Limited of Barton Park, Barton, Richmond, North Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.
The company was fined £140,000 and ordered to pay £18,355.07 in costs at Leeds Magistrates’ Court. Anthony had an older brother, Graham, and sister Elaine.
Elaine Clark said: “Today’s verdict will not bring our Anthony back. He absolutely should not have died at work that day.
“He should still be here but he’s not. And that leaves a huge void in all our lives that nothing will ever replace.
“Mum has lost her son. Marie has lost her fiancé.
“Graham and I don’t have our baby brother anymore. His daughters don’t have their dad.
“His grandchildren will never get to know their grandad. None of us get to see his smile.
“None of us get to hear him laugh. He doesn’t get to ride his scooter with his mates.
“Or go to watch Sunderland every week. He will never get old like the rest of us.
“Nearly five years on, family events that should be joyous occasions are tainted by our Anthony not being there. And that will never change. I can only repeat, he absolutely should not have died at work that day.”
Source: Gazette Live
