A 16-year-old boy has suffered serious injuries after becoming trapped under a tractor during a paid work experience at Earlcoate Construction & Plant Hire Limited in the New Forest. Tom Cutler was gaining valuable experience in vehicle repair work ahead of his vehicle maintenance course at Sparsholt College.
The incident occurred on August 3, 2021, when Tom was driving a tractor down an incline. The vehicle veered off track and overturned, trapping Tom’s upper leg under the tractor’s roof. Fortunately, passers-by discovered him in time and called for assistance. Emergency services arrived at the scene and Tom was promptly taken to the hospital for treatment.
Tom’s father, David Cutler, expressed gratitude for his son’s bravery and the efforts of the emergency services, stating, “Tom was only 16 when this incident happened, and it’s changed his life forever. Had it not been for his own bravery and the amazing work by the emergency services, we could have lost him.”
Tom acted swiftly to stem the bleeding by using his belt as a tourniquet. He also checked his leg by punching out the cab window and managed to prevent a potential fire by turning off the tractor and stopping fuel leakage using a broken wing mirror. Despite his courageous actions, Tom has endured a month-long hospital stay and undergone seven surgeries. The incident has significantly impacted his life, forcing him to put his education on hold and discontinuing activities such as mountain biking and cricket.
Following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), it was determined that Earlcoate Construction & Plant Hire Limited had failed to adequately protect Tom by neglecting supervision and failing to provide proper information, instruction, and training. HSE has specific guidance on providing adequate support to younger workers.
On October 16, Earlcoate Construction & Plant Hire Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 2(1) of the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974 at Southampton Magistrates’ Court. The company was fined £50,000 and ordered to pay costs amounting to £9,223.
HSE Inspector Nicola Pinckney emphasised the fortunate outcome, attributing it to Tom’s quick thinking, the timely discovery by passers-by, and the exceptional work of the emergency services and hospital staff. Pinckney highlighted that the incident could have been avoided through proper risk assessment, adequate information, instruction, and training for Tom and his colleagues, as well as appropriate supervision.
The HSE prosecution received support from HSE enforcement lawyer Samantha Wells.
