Bin lorry firm accused of cashing in on crush death

A bin lorry firm singled out by a coroner after a worker was crushed to death by a vehicle has been accused of "trying to make millions" out of the tragedy.

Netherlands-based firm Terberg was ordered to improve thousands of lorries across the UK at an inquest for 60-year-old David Carpenter last year.

The company developed a free safety update for its well-known Dennis Eagle trucks to reduce the likelihood of anyone else being killed in the same way.

But a BBC investigation has found that in some cases councils are effectively being asked to pay tens of thousands of pounds to obtain it.

Terberg said allegations it was trying to make money out of Mr Carpenter's death were "unfounded and false".

It has emerged local authorities across England have been told they must swap out certain non-genuine Terberg parts before vehicles can have the new safety upgrade.

Two established companies and an HGV technician have told the BBC the parts are "identical" and accused Terberg of using the tragedy to stamp out competition.

A solicitor for Mr Carpenter's family said it was "deeply concerning" to hear of anything that could delay vehicles being made safer.

Mr Carpenter, who had worked on the bins in Coventry since he was 18, activated a sensor while he was at the back of a Dennis Eagle vehicle in January 2023.

His coat became entangled in a bin lift and he was dropped into the back of the vehicle before an automatic compaction cycle started.

In April, a jury found he died in a "foreseeable" accident and the lorry could have been safer.

The BBC understands a Health and Safety Executive investigation started into Dennis Eagle after the death is also still under way.

Area coroner Delroy Henry told Terberg action could be taken to prevent future deaths.

In response, the company said it was rolling out a new safety "package" including both hardware and software upgrades, including a new sensor to shut the mechanism down if someone was pulled into a vehicle.

It is thought there are between 8,000 and 10,000 vehicles on UK streets similar to the one in which Mr Carpenter died.

They are owned mostly by councils and waste management firms, lifting somewhere between four and six million residential bins every day.

WasteParts UK, based in Gloucester and Aldridge, counts hundreds of councils among its clients, as well as market-leading waste management firms including Veolia, Biffa and Suez.

Bosses believe almost all councils will have vehicles with third-party or aftermarket parts within their Dennis Eagle fleets.

But, crucially, they claim, "the vast majority, if not 100%" of these parts are exactly the same as the ones Terberg wants to replace them with.

Sales manager Tyrone Behan said local authorities were being sent invoices for "tens of thousands of pounds" to swap out "identical" parts in what he called an "injustice" to taxpayers all over the country.

He said he had been contacted by at least 20 councils affected, adding some were putting off safety updates while they sought clarity.

The BBC has seen an invoice sent by Terberg to one waste services provider, quoting them £28,000 before "free" upgrades can be carried out on 17 vehicles.

Mr Behan suggested the firm could generate millions of pounds from councils if it was successful in swapping out all of the parts it wanted to.

Pete Aston, managing director of supplier Controls & Automation in Bristol, agreed the parts were "exactly the same and probably off the same machine".

"The parts we sell are the same parts that Terberg buy from the manufacturer," Mr Aston said.

An HGV technician, responsible for maintaining a fleet of a dozen Dennis Eagle vehicles for a large local authority, also believed the parts in question were "like for like".

The person asked not to be named as he was not authorised to speak on behalf of the council, but added: "It's just to recoup the money for the free upgrade in my eyes.

"It's a waste of taxpayers' money."

A Terberg spokesperson said it strived to achieve the highest standards in equipment safety and quality, adding that improving safety was a continuous process.

It said its Bin-lift Compaction Control Upgrade (BCCU) used "specific components" to work properly.

The company added that while its parts might look the same as others available from third party aftermarket suppliers, their "provenance" could not be confirmed.

"This is a matter of safety and Terberg rejects all claims and statements that suggest the BCCU is anything other than a safety-related initiative," a statement read.

"Any such allegation is unfounded and false."

Karl De-Loyde, a serious injury lawyer at Thompsons Solicitors, who is representing Mr Carpenter's family, said: "It's deeply concerning to hear of any barriers that may delay or prevent the rollout of vital safety upgrades.

"These decisions have real-life consequences and it's crucial to place the health and safety of workers at the heart of every action taken."

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