Died at work – employer convicted of work environment crime

7/5/2023, 2:07:12 PM

Highlights: A man was crushed to death by a ramp in Uppsala, Sweden. The man was unloading a trailer that had not been repaired. The court has sentenced the man to a suspended sentence and a fine. He must also pay damages to the man's wife and children. For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details. In the U.S. call the National Suicide Prevention Line on 1-800-273-8255.

It was in February 2021 that a man got a ramp on him and was crushed to death in the workplace. Now the man's boss has been convicted of work environment violations.

Uppsala District Court determines the sentence to a suspended sentence and a daily fine.

The employer must also pay damages to the surviving wife and children of the deceased man.

The man died while unloading an excavator from a truck trailer, which lacked a spring that would prevent the ramp from falling handlessly.

Not proven

The prosecutor has previously alleged that the employer forced the man to use the trailer even though it had not been repaired.

According to the court, it has not been proven that the employer realised that there was a risk that the man would die as a result of the trailer not being repaired.

Against this background, the court has concluded that the employer should be sentenced to work environment offences of the normal degree.

It was on the fourth of February 2021 that the man lost his life in a workplace accident at Vedyxatippen outside Uppsala.

He was given a ramp of several hundred kilograms over him and squeezed to death.

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In the video: This is what it looked like when the accident occurred. Photo: Utryck Uppsala