Fines after man crushed at London garage

While Mr Emanet was a member of the public who survived this incident, not everyone is so lucky. HSE has previously warned workers of the dangers of poorly supported vehicle.

In total, 24 workers in the motor vehicle repair industry have been killed in work-related accidents in the last five years, with the fatal injury rate in the motor vehicle repair industry around five times the average rate across all industries. Recent research suggests that over half of all fatal injuries in the sector were caused by work under a poorly supported vehicle.

The HSE investigation found that Silver Street Service Garage Limited failed to ensure that members of the public were not exposed to health and safety risks. The company also failed to ensure that the equipment had been thoroughly examined for any defects.

Company director Mr Dilek was in control of the garage at the time of the incident. He was directly responsible for the way work was conducted and access was managed on site. He failed to ensure that members of the public were not exposed to health and safety risks.

Silver Street Service Garage Limited of College Close, London, pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and guilty to a contravention of Regulation 9(3)(a)(ii) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was fined £12,000 and was ordered to pay £2406 costs at a hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 7 December 2023.

At the same hearing, Mr Dilek of Waltham Abbey, London, pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 3(1) by virtue of Section 37(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He was fined £500 and was ordered to pay £1500 costs

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Michelle Morphy said: “Mr Emanet is lucky to be alive.

“This incident could have been avoided if he had simply been asked to stay in the waiting area provided for members of the public.

“Instead, not only was he left to move freely around the two-post vehicle lift on which his vehicle was raised, he was asked by a director of the business to assist with the work being carried out, in the minutes before it fell.”