Three companies have been fined a total of more than £1.4m after a security guard was killed at Immingham port.

Lyndon Perks was knocked down and fell underneath a lorry after its driver could not see him, a court heard.

The guard walked up to the lorry to carry out checks at an entrance gate but he was on the blind side of the driver, who knew nothing until he felt a bump.

The man died almost immediately, Grimsby Crown Court heard.

Port operator Associated British Ports admitted failing to ensure the health and safety of people not employed by it at Immingham on September 9, 2015.

It was fined £750,750 and was ordered to pay £9,781.52 costs. After the case Simon Bird, ABP’s Humber ports director, said the company "deeply regretted" the tragic accident and had taken steps to ensure a similar accident couldn't happen again.

The guard's employer, Security company ICTS (UK) Ltd, admitted failing to ensure the health and safety of employees, including Lyndon Perks.

It was fined £500,000 with £9,338.82 costs.

Shipping company DFDS Seaways, of Immingham Docks, admitted failing to ensure the health and safety of employees and people not employed by it.

It was fined £166,670 with £9,766.02 costs.

(Image: GrimsbyLive)

The total fines imposed were £1,417,420 and the total costs were £28,886.36.

Security guard Mr Perks, 50, of Bentley Street, Cleethorpes , died of multiple injuries when he was knocked down and crushed by a lorry at Immingham Container Terminal after being dragged underneath it.

The lorry driver did not see or hear anything.

An inquest jury in May 2016 returned a conclusion of accidental death.

Judge Paul Watson QC said that Mr Perks stepped forward to flag down the lorry driver so that he could carry out security checks and, because it did stop, assumed that the driver had seen him.

"He walked across the front of the lorry, presumably to go to the driver's side to speak to him, when the lorry pulled forward and made its turn into the DFDS area of the terminal," said Judge Watson.

"As it pulled forward, Mr Perks was tragically run over and died immediately from the injuries he sustained."

He added that ABP failed to revise a workplace transport risk assessment after the East Gate opened, ICTS failed to provide adequate training and safety information and DFDS failed to provide a risk assessment for work being carried out outside its canopy area and on the immediate roadway.

(Image: Rick Byrne/thanks to POM flying club)

Changes had since been made, including a platform for guards, a new gate and security system, walkways and traffic lights.

ICTS did not make it clear that the "security officer's role did not include seeking to actively stop vehicles in the course of entering the gates".

Judge Watson added: "All three companies have taken appropriate action to deal with such failings as this case has identified."

After the hearing, Simon Bird, ABP’s Humber ports director said: “We deeply regret the tragic accident in 2015 and our sympathies strongly remain with the family and friends of Lyndon Perks.

"We accepted the failings which were highlighted by the investigations following this incident.

"Safety and making sure our colleagues go home safely every day will always remain our number one priority.

"The court recognised the changes we have made at Immingham Container Terminal in order to prevent any similar incident in future.”

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