Fatigue fatality

Prosecutions and Claims |
01.07.2006

Cambridgeshire Crown Court has fined The Produce Connection £30,000 plus £24,000 costs after one of its employees died in a car crash outside work hours having worked 76 hours in four days. The  prosecution is believed to be the first of its kind by the Health and Safety Executive because the potato distribution company pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety legislation even though the accident occurred after work. Mark Fiebig, 21, died in October 2002 when his car collided with an oncoming lorry as he drove home from work. The prosecution claimed Feibig was suffering from chronic fatigue, having worked four consecutive 19-hour shifts at the company, and fell asleep at the wheel. For more information, see Fighting fatigue.