A metal manufacturing company has been fined £80,000 after an employee was trapped between a side loader truck and rack containing metal pipes.
Back in 2017, the company had failed to maintain the side loader truck by ensuring that it was inefficient working order and in good repair.
The company was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,478 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 5 (1) of the Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations.
During the HSE (Health and Safety Investigation) investigation, they found that the company did not maintain the side loader as per the manufacturer’s specifications. This left the company’s employees exposed to risk. HSE Inspector Amandip Dhanda, said: “This injury was easily preventable, and the risk should have been identified. Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery.“