The managing director of a metalworks firm has been convicted of manslaughter after one of his workers was crushed to death in an incident that could have been prevented with “common sense”.
Married father-of-two Shenol Shevka-Ahmed died after a large metal cutting machine he was helping to move tipped over, trapping him beneath.
The emergency services used a car jack to lift the machinery and free him, but the 37-year-old Bulgarian, who lived in Gloucester Road, Edmonton, died in hospital two hours later from crush injuries.
The incident happened while RK Metalworks was relocating to new premises nearby in Harbet Road, Edmonton, on January 11, 2013.
The firm’s managing director Mohammad Babamiri, 59, of Bounds Green, was at the wheel of a forklift truck trying to move the machine when the incident happened, despite not having a licence to drive one.
CCTV showed David Hawkins, 31, had been using another forklift to manoeuvre the machinery, again without a licence. He had already left by the time police arrived, but was arrested the next morning.
Yesterday at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Babamiri was found guilty of manslaughter and breaching health and safety legislation. Hawkins, of Little Brays, Harlow, Essex, was acquitted of manslaughter but convicted of Health and Safety offences.
Babimiri’s firm RK Metalworks and Hastingwood Securities Ltd, which owns the trading estate where the incident happened, were also found guilty of breaching health and safety law.
Det Ch Insp Dave Whellams, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “This is a tragic case, the victim had only worked at the company for a matter of weeks and was overjoyed at having secured a job.
“If the management that employed him had followed simple guidelines and used some common sense, then this incident would never have arisen. The accident itself was totally avoidable and has cost a man his life.
“I hope that today’s verdict can offer some degree of comfort to his family.”
Sentencing will take place on January 9.
Tottenham Journal
