Fedex fined £533,000 after worker seriously injured by forklift truck
A delivery company has been fined £533,000 after a worker was seriously injured when he was hit by a forklift truck in Burntwood.
The employee was walking across the Fedex depot at Burntwood Business Park in November 2017 was he was struck by the reversing forklift truck, Cannock Magistrates' Court heard.
He was trapped on the ground by the truck and had to be freed by colleagues using a pallet truck.
The worker suffered serious fractures to his arm and soft tissue injuries to his legs and was off work for several months as a result.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found there was inadequate segregation of forklift trucks and pedestrians within the workplace.
A risk assessment had been carried out but had not identified the importance of achieving robust segregation in an area where frequent forklift truck movements took place.
Fedex UK Ltd of Express House, Holly Lane, Atherstone, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and has been fined £533,000 and ordered to pay costs of £10,033.39.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Wendy Campbell said: “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.”
