Longridge dad killed when tractor tyre exploded at Hutton dairy farm

Joshua Hardman and his daughter Bonneigh

A Longridge father with a ‘heart of gold’ died in hospital after a tyre exploded on a dairy farm in Hutton.

Joshua Hardman, 23, suffered fatal injuries as he helped to inflate a tractor tyre at the farm, run by W Hesketh and Sons, on May 7, 2021.

Joshua had been helping one of the partners in the business, Bill Hesketh, re-seat and inflate a large tyre. As the inner tube inflated, it exploded and the release of air propelled the wheel rim into Joshua and caused traumatic head injuries, a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found.

Joshua was taken to hospital to undergo multiple surgeries but died on 11 June 2021 after his condition deteriorated.

In a statement, his 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 heartbreaking 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.”

The investigation by the HSE found that W Hesketh and Sons failed to properly assess and plan the activity and to put it place measures necessary to control risk. The chance of an explosion was higher than usual due to the equipment being in poor condition and no assessment of the equipment took place.

W Hesketh and Sons, of Grange Lane, Hutton, pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 2(1) of the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974. This means that they admit to failing to fulfil their legal duty to keep employees safe as far as is reasonably practical.

They were fined £80,000 and ordered to pay £8,605 costs at a hearing at Preston Magistrates’ Court last Tuesday (4 February).

Anthony Banks, inspector for the HSE, said: “This was a tragic incident, and a much-loved young man has lost his life. It could have easily been avoided with the right controls in place.

“HSE would like to make all employers aware that, before they undertake the inflation of large commercial tyres, they need to have correctly assessed the risk and have in place the suitable controls for the task.”

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