A Lancashire dairy farm has been ordered to pay out £80,000 following the death of a 23-year-old man who was killed while trying to inflate a tractor tyre.
Joshua Hardman suffered fatal head injuries as he helped to inflate the tyre on a farm in Hutton, near Preston, in May 2021.
The father-of-one from Longridge was working as a farm worker at the business, run by W Hesketh and Sons.
At the time of the incident, he had been helping one of the company's partners, Bill Hesketh, re-seat and inflate a large tractor tyre.
As Mr Hesketh inflated the inner tube within the tyre, it suddenly exploded and the catastrophic release of compressed air propelled the wheel rim into Joshua, causing traumatic head injuries.
He was taken to hospital and underwent skull and brain surgeries, but he subsequently passed away after a further deterioration in his condition.
In a statement, Joshua's family said: “Joshua was a very loving, caring, kind and gentle person. He had a heart of gold.
“He was also an amazing dad, and it is heart-breaking that he will never reach his full potential in that role.
“His five-year-old daughter will miss out on a great deal of love and affection and the role he would have played in her life.”
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says that tyre removal, replacement and inflation should only be tackled by competent staff.
An investigation by the watchdog found that W Hesketh and Sons had failed to properly assess and plan this work activity.
They also failed to identify and put in place the measures necessary to control the risks involved when inflating large commercial tyres.
The investigation also found that the risk of an explosion was much higher because the tyre, wheel rim and inner tube were all in a poorly maintained condition.
A suitable and sufficient assessment had not been made to determine whether the damaged tyre, inner tube and wheel rim were suitable to be inflated safely.
W Hesketh and Sons were fined £80,000 and ordered to pay £8,605 costs at a hearing at Preston Magistrates Court on 4 February 2025.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Anthony Banks said it was a "tragic incident," as a "much-loved young man has lost his life".
"It could have easily been avoided with the right controls in place," Mr Banks said.
