A WINSFORD firm has admitted not taking enough safety precautions after an employee was crushed to death in an horrific accident.

Paul Dawson, a father of four, died at Weatherseal Holdings last year when two tonnes of plastic sheets fell onto him, a court heard.

The firm, based in Winsford Industrial Estate, part of a group with a £27 million turnover, deals in UPVC windows and door frames.

Miss Gill Spurrier, prosecuting on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive, said that on Sunday, May 3, Mr Dawson was working at the firm, with Mr Lander, the supervisor and another employee Mr Jackson.

Two UPVC profiles, large sheets of plastic, encased in covers called stillages, were going to be transported to be offloaded into skips.

Mr Lander had loaded the side loader machine and driven towards the yellow skip, she told the court.

"But his view to the right hand side was severely restricted. He only had a view forward, backwards and left," said Miss Spurrier.

"When he thought he had arrived at the right place, he stopped the vehicle but as he got off, the two stillages suddenly fell off.

"When Mr Jackson came round he saw Mr Dawson underneath the two tonnes of stillages."

Miss Spurrier said the company had not taken the right precautions to protect employees.

"It was common procedure to carry two stillages into a car park area when pedestrians were walking around," she said.

"It was common procedure for employees to walk around an area where stillages were being handled. There was serious risk of injury or death," she added.

Defending barrister Peter Burns said the company accepted without hesitation that the system operating at the time was culpable.

Since the accident, the firm had spent £70,000 on safety measures.

A few weeks before the accident the firm had employed someone to specifically look into health and safety policy.

The firm had received advice on the issue and some safety measures had already been implemented, Further measures were ready to implement.

"Unfortunately had this accident occurred literally weeks later, these elements would have been in place. It's a tragic aspect to this case," said Mr Burns.

The case has been committed to Chester Crown Court for sentencing.

Mr Dawson, aged 31, of Broughton Road, Coppenhall, Crewe, had worked for the company for 12 months.

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