A Chorley egg farm and packing business has been fined £60,000 this week after a forklift truck overturned on a slope trapping the driver.
Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard that on December 1, 2018, an employee of Staveley’s Eggs Ltd. had been driving the forklift truck at the company’s premises at Goosnargh Near Preston, when the truck overturned, trapping the driver between the truck and the ground.
As a result, the driver was left with serious, life-changing crush injuries.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the areas where forklifts were driven had significant changes in gradient which meant they were not suitable for the type of forklift used. The company had also failed to both identify and control the risk of forklift overturn.
Staveley’s Eggs Ltd. of Coppull, Chorley pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £60,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,259.42.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Steven Boyd said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by ensuring the area where forklift trucks were driven was free of slopes and damage, and that a suitable forklift was used for the site.
“Companies should be aware that the HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
