The family of a man killed when he was run over by a telehandler twice while at work in a Newry industrial estate has described their “devastating” loss after his colleague was sentenced for manslaughter.
Ian McCollum, an employee of McKinstry Skip Hire, was fatally injured on January 24, 2022 when he was struck by the vehicle driven by Walter Manley.
Mr McCollum, who was 53 at the time of the accident, had driven to Carnbane Business Park, where McKinstry Biomass Ltd is located, to dispose of wood waste.
The worker, from Crumlin in Co Antrim, was standing beside his vehicle as the waste was ejected into a bay when the telehandler driven by Manley approached and struck him.
Mr McCollum was struck for a second time when the telehandler reversed after tipping its own load into the waste bay.
His injuries were so extensive he was pronounced dead at the scene upon the arrival of paramedics.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSENI) and the PSNI launched a joint investigation into the tragedy, and Manley (53), of Loanda Crescent, Newry, was charged with manslaughter, along with a breach of health and safety legislation.
McKinstry Biomass Ltd was also charged with three separate health and safety offences.
The probe found failings in the management of workplace transport risks by McKinstry Biomass, including failing to prevent risks for both vehicles and pedestrians.
The HSENI also found failures over adequate supervision and communication, and identified a system of “unwritten rules rather than formal protocols in relation to control measures”.
A reconstruction of the incident found that Manley was left with “little to no forward visibility” as he approached Mr McCollum , due to the telehandler’s raised, waste-filled bucket.
A dirty rear window on the vehicle also obscured visibility behind it, and Manley failed to identify Mr McCollum in the machine’s rear camera before reversing.
In a statement after the sentencing, Mr McCollum’s widow Kathryn and son Aaron spoke of their heartbreak.
“We remain devastated at losing Ian,” they said.
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“He was a devoted and thoughtful husband and father whose life revolved around us and his love of farming.
“He loved life and loved us. The future without him will be very difficult.”
HSENI team inspector Kiara Blackburn said Mr McCollum’s death was “wholly preventable and highlights the high cost of health and safety standards falling short”.
“It also serves as a stark reminder that vehicles at work continue to be a significant cause of fatal and major injuries in Northern Ireland.
“Health and safety measures cannot be treated as optional. Simple, effective control measures must be put in place and maintained. Detailed advice on managing workplace transport risks is readily available to all employers.
“Employees also have a responsibility to take reasonable care for the safety of others and to operate vehicles properly in line with their training and instruction.”
Meanwhile, in a statement on Wednesday, a spokesperson for McKinstry Biomass said: “We have accepted responsibility as the employer of both men involved in this accident. We have admitted our failure to ensure all health and safety regulations were being met at the time.
“We have apologised unequivocally to the McCollum family and they have our deepest sympathies.”