Family’s Devastation Over Loss of Beloved Father and Husband
In a heart-wrenching development, the widow of Russell Hartley, a father-of-three from Sheffield, remains deeply affected by his tragic and entirely avoidable death at work. Despite the passage of time, she continues to await his return, clinging to memories and hope.
On February 24, 2020, Russell Hartley, a 48-year-old self-employed engineer, was fatally crushed by a Trisomat screen, often referred to as a ‘flip-flop,’ while leading a team to replace the machinery at a materials recycling facility in Twelvetrees Crescent, Bow, London. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has determined that the incident was entirely preventable, pointing to significant lapses in planning, management, and monitoring.
In a poignant statement, Mr Hartley’s widow, Debbie, shared her grief: “Russell was everything to us. He was funny and one of the nicest guys you could ever meet. Nothing was ever too much. If it needed doing, he got it done. He was a fantastic father and husband. He worshipped his grandkids and all his family. I feel like sometimes I am just waiting for him to come home. I can’t accept that he has gone as I couldn’t say goodbye. Nothing prepared me for that moment. I thought he would be here and live on forever. All he ever wanted was to keep his family happy and looked after, and I will try to keep that dream alive.”
Hartley, who was working with Premier Engineering Projects Ltd, had been hired to oversee the replacement of the flip-flop, a machine designed to sort waste materials. On the day of the tragedy, Hartley operated a telehandler to lower the flip-flop, which had become jammed. As the crane repositioned the machine, the flip-flop toppled from the telehandler’s forks, resulting in Hartley’s fatal injury. Another worker, who was on the flip-flop at the time, was thrown but survived with minor injuries.
The HSE’s investigation revealed that Premier Engineering Projects Ltd and M&M Mobile Crane Hire Ltd had failed to ensure the workers’ safety. The risk assessment was deemed inadequate, and the overall planning and supervision needed to be improved.
HSE inspector Mark Slater, alongside David Beaton, conducted the investigation and commented: “Had this work been planned, managed, and monitored to a sufficient standard, this incident was entirely avoidable, and Mr Hartley’s family would still have him in their lives. Risks arising from the lifting and moving equipment of this size and nature are entirely foreseeable, and work of this nature should be afforded the utmost respect and care.”
In the legal proceedings held at the Old Bailey on August 1, 2024, Premier Engineering Projects Ltd, based in Barnsley, was fined £28,000 and ordered to pay £9,277.48 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. M&M Mobile Crane Hire Ltd, located in Slough, was fined £48,000 and ordered to pay £9,500 in costs for the same breach.
The case underscores the importance of rigorous safety protocols and effective management in preventing workplace tragedies.
