Bestway Northern Limited, a grocery supplier based in London, has been fined £1 million and ordered to pay costs of £11,950.17 after having pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
The fine comes after an incident in 2019 when Mr Lee Warburton, who was employed by Bestway Northern Limited, was making a delivery to a store in Manchester. Mr Warburton was acting as a banksman and helping his colleague who was reversing a heavy goods vehicle (HGV). Unfortunately during the maneuver, Mr Warburton was trapped between the vehicle and a wall in the unloading area of the store and suffered from fatal crush injuries.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident and discovered that Bestway Northern Limited had not implemented a safe system of work when it came to vehicle movements. In addition, they had not properly assessed the risks involved or provided sufficient training for employees who were acting as banksmen.
HSE inspector Jane Carroll said, "The company had failed to implement a safe system of work for its delivery and unloading activities, thereby exposing employees and others to the risk of being struck or caught by workplace vehicles. Nearly a quarter of all deaths involving workplace transport occur during reversing, most of which can be avoided by taking simple precautions. All work settings involving vehicles need to consider the risks arising from their use and implement adequate measures to ensure the safety of those involved in these activities.”
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