Concerns have been raised over the safety of thousands of bin lorries after a binman died on duty in Coventry. A coroner says action must be taken to prevent more deaths after the inquest into the tragic death of David Carpenter closed last week, 22 April.
Mr Carpenter, 60, was lifted into the back of a bin lorry and crushed in January last year. A jury found he was lifted in after his coat became entangled while leaning over the working machinery and sensors were activated in sequence.
They concluded that his death was an accident. But details in an additional narrative said that extra features would have made the lorry safer and a transparent screen probably hindered him from accessing an emergency stop button.
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After the jury's conclusion, area Coroner Delroy Henry said he would be sending a "prevention of future deaths" report to bin lorry maker Dennis Eagle. Mr Henry's report was made that day and published online this week, on Monday (29 April.) It said "potentially important" changes to the machinery are being made too slowly and there are still "significant" mechanical risks.
Other issues have not been given enough consideration, he added. And 15 months on from Mr Carpenter's death, he said there are still thousands of bin lorries on UK roads that are not as safe as they could be - of "sub optimal safety."
"In my opinion, action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe that you have the power to take such action," he concluded. Dennis Eagle Ltd must respond to the report within 56 days, by 17 June 2024.
In a statement, the Warwickshire-based company said it is still reviewing the coroner's recommendations "with a view to developing a suitable upgrade package to our customers." Dennis Eagle expressed its deepest sympathies to Mr Carpenter's loved ones.
The company said it had "never compromised on safety and never will," and a safety upgrade is available for customers. See below for more on the concerns raised in the coroner's report and the full statement from the company.
Coroner's concerns
Mr Henry said information and evidence at the inquest revealed "matters giving rise to a concern." He pointed out that an estimated 4-6 million residential bins are collected by Dennis Eagle lorries each day.
It is "foreseeable" that people including bin crew will go towards the "danger zone" at the back of the vehicle. "A risk of inadvertent whole-body lifting into... the bin lorry hopper of a person in the danger zone carries with it a risk of death," he added.
While new machine designs deal with some of the problems, there are comparatively very few of them, he said. The bin lorries can also get software updates which act to reduce the risk of death if someone is lifted in, but these are optional and cost customers money, he added.
He also raised other problems that he said had not properly been addressed. These include such issues as sun glare on monitors that can get in the way of drivers seeing bin lorry collectors at the back and clear signs warning of people the danger zone, which he dubbed "deficient."
A transparent screen is still being used and "amounts to an obstacle" for someone reaching the emergency stop. He added that 15 months on from Mr Carpenter's death, there are still "thousands of machines of ‘sub optimal’ safety on UK roads."
Most are used by local councils, directly or by waste companies they contract to collect. Overall, it means "a concern as to future deaths exists as of April 2024."
Full Dennis Eagle statement
In a statement, Dennis Eagle Limited said: "All of us at Dennis Eagle Ltd are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Mr. Carpenter and wish to express our deepest sympathies towards his family, friends and colleagues. We would also like to express our utmost gratitude towards the jury in this matter, and respect the conclusions that have been drawn. The proceedings have been extensive and thorough, and have provided us (and the waste management industry, more generally) with valuable insights and awareness.
"Safeguarding all operators using our products, together with the general public, is a top priority. With this in mind, we will continue to update our products as technologies develop and have already made available to our customers an upgrade which enhances the safety of existing products in service.
"We have never compromised on safety and never will. All of our products meet or exceed all relevant standards and regulations.
"We will continue to work closely with our colleagues at the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), our industry partners, (including our valued customers and other manufacturers) and all relevant standards authorities.
"We extend our sincere appreciation to all parties involved in this matter, including Coventry City Council, the HSE and the Coroner’s Service. The organisation are still reviewing the coroner's recommendations with a view to developing a suitable upgrade package to our customers."
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