Halfords fined £600,000 after tyre fitter killed during roadside repair

The Redditch-based company, Halfords Commercial Fleet Services Limited, previously trading as Lodge Tyre Company Limited, admitted breaching health and safety law at a hearing on Monday at Warrington Magistrates’ Court.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation uncovered a series of failings in the firm’s duty to protect workers.

The 21-year-old was sent to the scene to deal with a burst tyre on a vehicle that was stationary on the slip road at Junction 7 of the M56 near Bowdon.

The young worker had been positioned underneath the low-profile truck when the vehicle slipped off the bottle jack, a compact hydraulic lifting device used to raise vehicles.

The vehicle came down on top of him, causing him to sustain fatal head injuries.

HSE investigators found that the company had not carried out a proper risk assessment for changing a blown-out tyre on a low-profile truck, nor had it given staff adequate instructions on when to abandon roadside repairs in favour of vehicle recovery.

An investigation found that the company did not properly assess the risks of replacing a blown-out tyre on a low-profile vehicle.

They also failed to give employees suitable work instructions, including when a truck should be recovered rather than repaired at the roadside.

Inspectors also found that Mr Fawcett had obtained his licence to work on commercial tyres at the roadside only when he joined the company, less than four months before his death.

Despite this, no one monitored or supervised him to ensure he worked safely.

Mr Fawcett’s mother, Sharon, spoke of the devastating impact of her son’s death in a victim personal statement.

She said: “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.”

Halford Commercial Fleet Services Limited, of Icknield Street Drive, Washford West, Redditch, Worcestershire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

The company was fined £600,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £200 and £24,203 in costs at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Monday, November 3.

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.

“Our thoughts remain with Niall’s family as they continue to come to terms with their tragic loss.”

A Halfords spokesman said the company extended its “deepest sympathies to Mr Fawcett’s family”, adding that it had fully co-operated with the HSE during the investigation.

A spokesman told the BBC: “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.”