Mechanic crushed by falling car as he prayed on break at garage

A mechanic spent four months in hospital with agonising injuries after a car suddenly fell on him during his break.

The man sustained multiple severe fractures in the incident at Car Spa and Tyres Ltd in Kensington,Liverpool on November 23, 2022, a court heard. Mohammed Hamad, 56, from the Toxteth area of the city, was employed as a mechanic at thegarage at the time, and was working on a vehicle that had been elevated on a two-post lift. But neither swivel arm on one of the lifting columns was locked into position, and as Mr Hamad took a break to pray, thecar fell from the lift, crushing him beneath and causing multiple serious fractures, reports the Liverpool Echo.

He was taken to the NHS Aintree Hospital, where he was found to have a broken leg, three broken bones in his spine, five broken ribs and a broken pelvis.

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Mr Hamad spent four months in hospital because of his injuries, and has been left highly dependent upon his wife, and others, to carry out even simple daily tasks. It is unlikely he will be able to work again.

A probe by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Car Spa & Tyres Ltd had failed to put in place a safe system of work, or to sufficiently train their staff, in the proper, and safe operation of the lifting equipment.

The company was found guilty by the jury of breaching regulation 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £20,000 in costs at a hearing at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on June 25.

After the hearing, HSE inspector David Bellis said: "This was a very serious incident, and it is fortunate nobody was killed as a result.

"If Mr Hamad had been suitably trained in the use of the two-post lift, the company had a suitable system of work in place and the swivel arms had been positioned correctly and locked into place this incident would have been avoided.

"The HSE take all accidents seriously, especially those that could have been easily prevented, and will not hesitate to prosecute, whenever it is appropriate”.

The prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Karen Park and paralegal officer Gabrielle O’Sullivan.

The Mirror has approached Car Spa & Tyres Ltd for comment.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is a public body responsible for ensuring the regulation and enforcement of workplace health, safety and welfare in Britain.

Set up by the Government in 1975, the HSE has the power to bring employers before the courts when it believes serious breaches have taken place.