Halfords has been fined £600,000 after a 21-year-old employee was killed while carrying out a roadside repair on the M56. Niall Fawcett, from Talke, Staffordshire, suffered fatal head injuries when the truck he was working beneath slipped from a hydraulic lifting tool and landed on him on a slip road at junction 7 near Bowdon, Cheshire, on August 2, 2024.
Family's grief and court ruling
His mother, Sharon, said: "Niall was only 21 years old when he died. He had his whole life ahead of him. He was planning to marry the following year, and he and Megan were saving for a deposit on their first home together and talking about starting a family."
"Niall was building for a life he was excited for and this was taken from him in an instant. Niall went to work that day and should have been safe, supported and protected. Instead, my son never came home."
Commercial tyre service provider Halfords Commercial Fleet Services Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company, based in Redditch, Worcestershire, was fined £600,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £200 and £24,203 in costs at Warrington Magistrates' Court following a hearing on Monday.
HSE investigation findings
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Halfords had not properly assessed the risks associated with replacing a blown-out tyre on a low-profile vehicle. It also found that the company had failed to give employees suitable work instructions, including information on when a truck should be recovered rather than repaired at the roadside.
Niall had only obtained his licence to work on commercial tyres at the roadside when he joined the company less than four months before his death. Despite this, he had not been subject to any monitoring or supervision to ensure that he was working safely, the HSE said.
Company response and safety commitment
A spokesperson for Halfords told the Mirror the company extended its "deepest sympathies" to Niall's family and that it had cooperated fully with the HSE throughout its investigation. "The health and safety of our colleagues is our highest priority, and we are committed to continually reviewing and strengthening our approach," said the spokesperson.
"Both prior to, and since the incident in 2024, we have invested in continuously improving our health and safety culture. More recently we have adopted industry-leading standards, delivered comprehensive training for colleagues, and undertaken detailed risk assessments to identify and address potential hazards."
HSE principal inspector Laura Royales said: "This case should serve to highlight to employers the importance of properly assessing the risks to which their workers are exposed and providing the right information and instructions, supplemented by adequate monitoring and supervision arrangements, to ensure that they can and do work safely."
"Our thoughts remain with Niall's family as they continue to come to terms with their tragic loss."
