G. F. Smith and Son (London) Ltd of Hull, have been prosecuted and fined a total of £7,750 for breaching health and safety law, which resulted in an industrial accident where an 18 year old warehouse worker had his foot crushed and toes fractured. The worker who was provided by an agency, started work on 23 August 2004 wearing training shoes, despite full-time employees wearing safety footwear, which was a requirement. He was not informed of this, and on his fourth day an electrically powered pallet truck ran over his foot.
The wholesale paper merchant pleaded guilty at Hull Magistrates' Court, to having allowed the teenager to operate the truck at its premises in order to transport goods between buildings, without providing adequate training on how to use it. They argued the equipment was simple to operate and little training was required. However, the Independent Training Standards Scheme and Register require a full day's training for all novice users.
