A fatal accident inquiry into the death of Robert Garvock, a vehicle recovery operator who was crushed when a recovery lorry tipped over on top of him, will take place on 28 January. According to BBC News, the 68-year-old from Longside died on the B999 Pitmedden to Potterton road in Aberdeenshire in 2018 while attempting to recover a stolen van that had overturned down an embankment.
Garvock was a senior recovery operator employed by Kairdson Tyres, an Ellon-based firm that provided vehicle recovery services to Police Scotland. The inquiry will examine the circumstances surrounding his death during the course of his employment.
What is a fatal accident inquiry?
Fatal accident inquiries (FAIs) are formal proceedings used to establish the facts surrounding a death and identify any lessons that can be learned from the incident. They are not designed to apportion blame or determine criminal liability, but rather to understand what happened and whether preventive measures could be implemented in the future. Debbie Carroll, from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), confirmed that because Garvock's death occurred in the course of his employment, an FAI was mandatory under Scottish law.
What happened to the employer?
Kairdson Tyres faced legal consequences following Garvock's death. The company was fined £9,800 at Aberdeen Sheriff Court in 2023 after admitting to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act. The penalty reflected the firm's failure to ensure safe working practices during the vehicle recovery operation that resulted in the fatal incident.
How was Garvock remembered?
At the time of his death, relatives described Garvock as a man who was deeply loved by his family and held in high regard by his colleagues in the vehicle recovery industry. His death highlighted the hazards faced by workers in the recovery sector when dealing with unstable vehicles in challenging roadside conditions.
The one-day inquiry scheduled for 28 January will provide an opportunity for the circumstances of his death to be examined in detail and for any safety recommendations to be made to prevent similar incidents occurring in the future.
