A Fife firm has been fined £15,000 following the death of an employee crushed under the wheels of a lorry.
Robert Purvis Plant Hire was convicted of breaching health and safety legislation last month, after the death of Ian Bratchie, 50.
Mr Bratchie, who worked in the mechanics’ workshop of the yard in Lochgelly, was underneath an HGV when a colleague attempted to drive it away, unaware he was there on September 3, 2015.
The company was convicted by a jury at Dunfermline Sheriff Court of failing to make suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk of vehicles under maintenance being driven away at its premises in Cartmore Industrial Estate between April 2, 2012 and September 4, 2015.
A charge alleging it had failed to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employees was not proven.
Sheriff Christopher Shead said Mr Bratchie was clearly “a well liked and valued colleague” and the level of fine imposed would obviously be of interest to his family and friends.
However, he stressed no causal link had been made between the company’s failure and Mr Bratchie’s death.
He said : “The court has to pay very clear attention to the charge of which the company was convicted”.
The family of Mr Bratchie, a grandfather from Lochgelly, said they would never get over the loss but hoped lessons would be learned from the tragedy.
A statement released by their lawyers, Digby Brown Solicitors, said: “We are relieved this court case has finally come to an end after having to endure this long and distressing process.
“Nothing can bring back Ian and that pain will never cease.
“But at least we now have a sense of justice and we hope lessons can be learned so no other family has to suffer like we have.”
