Royal Mail faces prosecution over Heathrow death

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced it will be prosecuting Royal Mail over the death of a driver in the yard at the Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre in 2006.

Colin Smith, a member of the CWU communication workers’ union, was killed in September 2006 after being crushed between a parked trailer and a tractor unit.

Royal Mail is charged with breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. HSE will also be prosecuting the driver of the vehicle involved in the accident, also a CWU member.

Dave Joyce, CWU national safety officer said: “This news ends a long wait and a lot of uncertainty for Colin’s family and colleagues. Whilst I have always thought that a decision by the HSE to prosecute Royal Mail was expected in this case, this is a particularly tragic case of a fatal accident involving two workmates.”

He added: “Since Colin’s death the CWU has sought to improve yard safety standards and risk control measures in relation to workplace transport with greater involvement of Union Safety Representatives in the decision making process. The union has been working with Royal Mail on a new Yard Risk Assessment Tool which hopefully will help significantly reduce and avoid these types of accidents.”