The death of a young grounds worker who was killed when a ride‑on lawnmower fell towards him blades first has been ruled an accident.
Kamil Grygieniec, from Northallerton, was mowing a section of steep embankment when he fell into a pond at Watermill Lane in North Stainley, near Ripon, on October 8, 2021, with the machine landing on top of him.
It was the 23-year-old's last day on the job for MHS Countryside Management Ltd after about 15 months.
After a three-day inquest at Thirsk Racecourse a jury concluded on Thursday (November 12) that Mr Grygieniec's death was an accident.
The foreman of the jury said: "On October 8, 2021, Kamil died from blunt force trauma to the head from a ride on a lawnmower that was not fitted with a ROPS (Rollover Protection System), after coming into contact with the blades."
The inquest previously heard he machine should have been fitted with a ROPS safety frame to protect drivers. The jury was told it became a legal requirement to have a ROPS system on all vehicles weighing more than 400kg in 2013, which would have included the one Mr Grygieniec was operating as it had a mass of more than 700kg and was purchased in 2018.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector Frances Ellis told the inquest there was "no reason" a ROPS system shouldn't have been fitted. She found no other defects with the mower.
Steve Houston, director of Kami's employer MHS Countryside Management Ltd, told the inquest he didn't remove the ROPS system and didn't know who had, or why there wasn't one.
The managing director maintained he "didn't believe" the ride-on lawnmower had rolled over during the fatal incident and insists that if he had seen the lawnmower being used on the embankment near the pond, he would have intervened.
The inquest also heard Mr Grygieniec was not wearing a seatbelt when the accident happened, which meant he was thrown into the lawnmower’s blades. However, the inquest heard he may have been without his seatbelt because there was no ROPS system, although if he was wearing one would have been effectively 'constricted' into the seat of the vehicle with little protection during any accident.
A post-mortem examination concluded Kamil died as a result of 'significant' blunt force head injuries.
The former Darlington college and Carlisle university student was due to start a new job the following week.
His family said he "lit up every room he entered" and his former colleagues said he was an "intelligent" and "hard-working" man.
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Matthew Esaite-Sarries, a team leader who was working with Kamil at the time told the jury he'd not had any training on risk assessments for the ride-on lawnmower or for mowing the grass at North Stainley, but said he never felt "pressured" to do anything he was uncomfortable with and always felt like he could raise issues with management.
He added that management informed all workers they shouldn't be using the ride-on lawnmower around the pond and steep embankment areas in North Stainley.
In a statement read in court Mr Esaite-Sarries said he found the incident "incredibly upsetting" when he saw the lawnmower floating in the pond and sections of scalp and hair.
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