BBC criticised over Hammond crash 'safety failings'

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A report by the Health and Safety Executive yesterday criticised the BBC for not drawing up specific enough health and safety measures for Hammond's dare-devil stunt in which he drove a jet powered dragster capable of travelling 300mph.

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The tyre, front left, blows out

The moment Richard Hammond's car hit the ground - roof first

The HSE said that the BBC's health and safety preparations had failed to take into account the specific circumstances of the stunt and relied on generic guidelines.

But it concluded no one should be prosecuted over the incident.

The crash occurred in September last year while Hammond was driving a Vampire, a jet-powered modified drag racer at Elvington airfield, near York.

He was taken by air ambulance to Leeds General Infirmary with a serious head injury but made a good recovery and later returned to work.

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An investigation into the high-speed crash which nearly claimed the life of presenter Richard Hammond has identified 'failings in the BBC's safety management systems'

The report by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) concluded that the crash was caused by a "catastrophic failure" of the Vampire's front offside tyre at 288mph.

It identified failings in the BBC's safety management systems hitting out at the way it had procured services from the company that owned the car and trained Hammond for the stunt.

The report listed eight key faults including that the BBC had not allowed enough time for the planning and preparation for the stunt.

It said that Primetime Landspeed Engineering, which owned the car, should have been challenged about the adequacy of their risk assessment.

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Richard Hammond is taken to hospital by helicopter

The HSE also said the BBC did not make sure Hammond's training needs for using the car were made clear and delivered before the shoot.

Principal Inspector Keith King, who led HSE team, said: "The investigation also identified failings in the BBC's safety management systems relating to risk assessment and the procurement of services from others, and by PTLE in their risk assessment for the services they provided to the BBC at Elvington."

"These failings and other recommendations are being pursued with the two parties involved.

"However, when viewed against HSE's enforcement criteria, none of these failings merit prosecution."