Lincoln Magistrates’ Court heard how an employee of Fishgate Ltd was instructed on July 16 2013 to paint guttering and drainpipes on the outside of a factory in Brookenby, Lincolnshire, when the accident happened.
The employee was raised up in an unsecured tote box by a forklift driver to carry out the job when he fell to the ground, resulting in a dislocated arm, cracked pelvis, broken foot and shattered leg.
Investigation by the Health and Safety Executive
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the work was not properly planned or adequately supervised. The injured worker had not received any training or advice on how to correctly carry out the task.
Fishgate of Brookenby Business Park, Brookenby, Lincolnshire, was found guilty of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay £19,032.63 in costs.
Speaking after the trial, HSE inspector Samantha Farrar said: “This work activity should have been properly planned. The injured worker should have been given the correct equipment as well as instruction as to how to carry out the work.
‘Failed to adequately supervise’
“The company also failed to adequately supervise the activity, which could have prevented the incident.”
The past year has seen a number of food and drink firms fined for safety failings and accidents that have involved forklift trucks.
Drinks packaging firm Encirc was fined £500,000 and ordered to pay £7,290 in costs after a worker collided with a forklift truck, breaking his arm.
Meanwhile, last month, West Coast Corrugated – a company that makes packaging for the food and drink industry – was fined £80,000 after a forklift truck struck a worker.