Karl Doran · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On 26th July 2012 I commenced an investigation into the death of Karl Doran aged 7 years. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 2nd December 2013. The conclusion of the inquest was Accidental Death.

The deceased was a seven year old boy, who ████████ together with his father, were volunteers at Beamish Museum in County Durham. ████████ drove a steam roller around the Museum's roads and was accompanied by his son, who at various times on the day in question rode on the steam roller/at the back of the steam roller/standing on an “A” frame linking the steam roller to a trailer/sitting on said “A” frame. Both father and son had been engaged in similar activities at Beamish on a number of occasions in the past, though this was the first occasion when they had used this combination of steam roller and trailer. There was no clear witness evidence as to where Karl was immediately prior to him falling and almost immediately thereafter being crushed by the heavy steel wheeled trailer. Karl's death would have been almost instantaneous.

(1) Beamish had not carried out a appropriate risk assessments to ensure the safety of volunteers such as Karl and his father when engaging in activities around the museum site. There was no direct or indirect managerial supervision of these volunteers activities.