Manufacturing company fined after worker was struck by forklift truck

G-Tekt Europe Manufacturing Limited, a company that manufactures pressings and sub-assembles for the automotive industry, has been fined after a worker was struck by a forklift truck and suffered a serious brain injury.

Newport Magistrates' Court heard how in November 2018, a worker needed to be placed in an induced coma after a forklift truck struck him at a premises in Tredegar.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that there was inadequate control of workplace transport risks. This included:

• lack of segregation between vehicles and pedestrians;
• no safe pedestrian crossings where vehicle and pedestrian routes crossed; and
• insufficient safety signage to highlight hazards.

G-Tekt Europe Manufacturing Limited, entered a guilty plea for breaching the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations SI 1992/3004, was fined £520,000, and ordered to pay costs of £8,014.40.

HSE inspector, Sian Donne said: "Failure to ensure that workplace transport is managed safely is a serious breach of fundamental health and safety duties".