A 53-year-old maintenance controller who suffered serious injuries in an accident at a Newport recycling plant died as a result of misadventure, an inquest heard.
Martyn Cyril Tamlyn, who lived in Coed Celynen, Abercarn at the time of the accident on June 13, 2007 was working at the Sims’ fridge recycling plant at Alexandra Docks when the forklift truck he was driving overturned.
A jury at Gwent Coroner’s Court heard how the trained forklift truck driver was on a night shift at the plant when he was fatally injured.
A work colleague, Mark Leonard Kyle, said that towards the end of the shift at 5.45am Mr Tamlyn, who was acting supervisor, began assisting with the unloading of fridges and freezers from storage.
“Martin and I worked together briefly before I went inside to sign off some paperwork when I was alerted to the accident by a colleague.
“The truck was on its side and I could see Martin in the cab,” said Mr Kyle.
The forklift truck Mr Tamlyn was driving overturned as he attempted to make a sharp right hand turn.
An inspector for Wales Health and Safety Executive, Colin Mew, who was part of the investigation into the accident, showed jurors clips of CCTV footage from the 12-hour shift.
Mr Mew concluded that Mr Tamlyn’s truck overturned as a result of being unstable.
“Mr Tamlyn attempted to make a right-hand turn with the plate clamps in an elevated position and no load,” said Mr Mew.
“The CCTV footage shows he was driving in an unsafe manner on a number of occasions prior to the accident.”
“A forklift truck is more stable with a load than without. There were no defects on the vehicle that contributed to the accident and the tyres and seatbelt were in good functioning condition,” he added.
A consultant pathologist at the Royal Gwent Hospital, concluded that Mr Tamlyn died as a result of head injuries on June 19, 2007.
Gwent coroner David Bowen said that Mr Tamlyn was a hard working and conscientious employee.
The jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure.
A spokesman for Sims Metal Management said afterwards: "We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr Tamlyn."
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