THE Health and Safety Executive and the family of an HGV driver who died after being struck by steel tubes falling off his lorry are considering legal action against firms involved in the tragedy.

An inquest at Sheffield Coroners Court concluded Robert Ismay was knocked off his lorry after an inexperienced and unsupervised forklift truck driver attempted to unload the 7.5-metre tubes, when a crane should have been used for the task.

After an 11-day hearing, a jury found the 42-year-old, of Melbourne Place, Sowerby, unsuccessfully attempted to highlight what needed unloading after arriving at Davers Steels, in Sheffield, but staff there failed to inspect the delivery before the tragedy on December 6, 2012.

The jury returned a verdict that:

• There was no planning of the delivery or any written procedures

• No consideration was given as to whether it was safe to use a forklift truck

• The forklift driver did not know the weight and size of what he was lifting

• The forks of the forklift truck were too short to lift the delivery

• No consideration was given as to whether it was safe to unload the trailer in the street.

Coroner Siobhan Kelly said the inquest, which was repeatedly shown CCTV footage of the incident, had proved particularly difficult for the family of the father-of-three, who had been employed by Thirsk-based firm Tomrods to make the delivery.

She told his widow, Michelle: “I hope that some small consolation comes from knowing that changes have been put into place to change procedures which had plainly gone wrong.”

Solicitor Claire Newstead, representing the Mr Ismay’s family, said: “We will continue to work with the family as they come to terms with this tragedy, as well as look to further understand exactly what happened.”

A Health and Safety Executive spokesman said it was continuing to investigate the tragedy and would consider legal action.