Parcel carrier, Fedex UK Ltd of Atherstone were fined £533,000 after an employee sustained serious injuries when struck by a fork lift.
On 2 November 2017, an employee was struck by a reversing fork lift truck when he walked across the depot at Burntwood Business Park. The employee was trapped under the fork lift truck and had to be freed by colleagues. He suffered serious arm fractures and soft tissue injuries to his legs, causing him to be off work for several months.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found inadequate segregation between fork lift truck vehicles and pedestrians in the workplace.
Despite a risk assessment having been undetaken at the site, it had failed to identify the importance of robust vehicle pedestrian segregation, particularly where fork lift truck operations were frequent.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and along with their fine were ordered to pay costs of £10,033.39.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Wendy Campbell commented: "Those in control of work have a responsibility to provide safe methods of working and a safe working environment. Collisions between vehicles and pedestrians can be avoided if the workplace layout is properly planned, effectively segregated and suitable systems of work are introduced. If physical barriers and a suitable system of work had been in place, the injuries sustained by this employee could have been prevented."
