A Mearns agricultural firm that was rocked by the death of a farmer on its premises is facing fresh sanctions over improper haulage practices.
One of Scotland’s biggest agricultural feed firms, East Coast Viners Grain in Drumlithie, was hit by a £240,000 fine after Aberdeenshire farmer David Leslie was crushed to death by a falling grain bin in 2013.
Now the firm faces losing its operator’s licence following fresh allegations of employees falsifying driver time sheets, improper maintenance of its HGV fleet and using vehicles for third-party haulage.
Traffic Commissioner Joan Aitken opened an investigation into the firm after the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) brought the allegations to light.
Ms Aitken is considering whether she should revoke the firm’s goods vehicle operator licence, or allow its application to renew it.
It is understood that thousands of farms across Scotland and the north of England depend on the firm for feed deliveries.
At the first day of evidence in front of Ms Aitken, director John Forbes said major changes had been made after Mr Leslie’s death.
Mr Forbes assured Ms Aitken that steps had been taken to improve the company, such as the appointment of health and safety manager Ryan Daly.
Referring to himself and his nephew Graham, the firm’s commercial manager, Mr Forbes said: “When we had the fatality, that was a real wake up call to myself and Graham.
“We were sorry that the failings had got so bad, I suppose, before we did anything about it.
“I was so disappointed that is why we have changed it and put in Ryan.”
Mr Forbes insisted the DVSA accusation that drivers were “card swapping” to disguise their working hours had come as a shock to upper management.
“If we’d known how damn serious it was at the time, I would have stopped it,” he told Ms Aitken.
Mr Daly admitted that health and safety practices had been “substandard” prior to his arrival, but insisted that they had improved dramatically.
Solicitor Neil Kelly said loss of the licence would have a “fundamental impact” on the business.
The Edinburgh inquiry was adjourned until March 1.
Mr Leslie, of Balmedie, died on his 49th birthday when the fully loaded two-tonne bin fell from a forklift truck.