A firm faces backlash for allegedly exploiting the tragic death of a Coventry worker
Coventry: A Netherlands-based company is under fire for allegedly trying to cash in on the tragic death of a bin lorry worker, David Carpenter. He lost his life after getting trapped in a lorry on Guild Road in Foleshill.
David, who worked for Coventry City Council, died when he accidentally activated a sensor while at the back of a Dennis Eagle truck in January 2023. His coat got caught in a bin lift, and he was dropped into the truck just as the compaction cycle kicked in.
After the inquest, Terberg was told to improve thousands of bin lorries. They did roll out a free safety update for their Dennis Eagle trucks to help prevent similar tragedies.
However, reports say councils across the UK are being asked to pay hefty sums to swap out parts before they can get the safety upgrade. There are around 8,000 to 10,000 similar vehicles in the UK, which raises a lot of eyebrows.
Two other companies pointed out that the parts are the same and don’t need swapping for the safety upgrade to work. Terberg, on the other hand, claims the allegations of profiting from Mr. Carpenter’s death are unfounded.
They mentioned that while their parts may look similar to others, they can’t guarantee where those other parts come from. A spokesperson insisted that this is all about safety and rejected any claims suggesting otherwise.
Union Unite, which David had joined before his passing, criticized Terberg for the delays in safety upgrades. Claire Keogh from the union said these delays could endanger lives.
She emphasized that councils should prioritize worker safety over costs, and Terberg’s extra charges are just causing unnecessary hold-ups. It’s a pretty grim situation, and she called it opportunism on Terberg’s part.
Unite has been pushing for local authorities to get these safety upgrades done as quickly as possible. They want Terberg to provide these upgrades without any strings attached, especially after such a tragedy.
Karl De-Loyde, representing David’s family, expressed deep concern over any barriers that might delay these crucial safety upgrades. He stressed that decisions made have real-life impacts, and worker safety should always come first.
Terberg has been reached out to for comments by CoventryLive.
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