Teen Left Fighting for Life After Tractor Horror on Work Placement
A 16-year-old boy suffered serious injuries when a tractor he was driving flipped over during a paid work experience at Earlcoate Construction & Plant Hire Limited in the New Forest. Tom Cutler was gaining hands-on vehicle repair skills ahead of his vehicle maintenance course at Sparsholt College.
Tractor Overturns, Teen Trapped
The terrifying crash happened on August 3, 2021. Tom was driving a tractor down a slope when it veered off course and overturned. His upper leg was trapped under the tractor’s roof. Luckily, passers-by spotted him quickly and called emergency services. Paramedics rushed to the scene and took Tom to hospital.
Heroic Actions Save Young Life
Tom showed remarkable presence of mind. He stopped the bleeding by using his belt as a tourniquet and punched out the cab window to check his leg. He also prevented a possible fire by shutting off the tractor and plugging fuel leaks with a broken wing mirror.
“Tom was only 16 when this incident happened, and it’s changed his life forever,” said his father David Cutler. “Had it not been for his bravery and the amazing work of emergency services, we could have lost him.”
Despite his courage, Tom spent a month in hospital and went through seven surgeries. The serious injuries forced him to pause his studies and quit mountain biking and cricket.
Workplace Safety Failures Lead to £50k Fine
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated and found Earlcoate Construction & Plant Hire Limited failed to properly supervise Tom or provide adequate training and instruction. The firm ignored vital safety rules for young workers.
On October 16, the company pleaded guilty at Southampton Magistrates’ Court to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It was fined £50,000 and ordered to pay £9,223 in costs.
HSE Inspector Nicola Pinckney praised Tom’s quick thinking and credited the swift actions of passers-by and emergency teams for saving his life. She stressed the entire incident was preventable with better risk assessments, training, and supervision.
The prosecution was supported by HSE enforcement lawyer Samantha Wells.
