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Two companies have been fined after a worker was seriously injured by a trolley carrying hydraulic rams. Stafford Crown Court heard how Martin Addison of DHL Services Limited (DHL) was auditing in-coming deliveries of equipment in an outside yard at JCB’s headquarters when he was struck from behind by falling machinery. The machinery was being towed by an electric tug and weighed approximately 770kg.
The trolley toppled on its side trapping Martin Addison between it and a storage cage. He suffered multiple serious injuries including fractures and internal injuries.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident on 16 October 2013 found there were safety failures related to this auditing activity and the segregation between employees and vehicles using this area, leading to an unsafe system of work.
DHL Services Limited pleaded guilty to a criminal safety offence and was fined £266,000 and ordered to pay costs of £23,370.22.
JC Bamford Excavators Limited pleaded guilty to two criminal safety offences, and was fined £375,000 with £37,235.42 costs.
HSE inspector David Brassington commented:
“The dangers of failing to provide effective segregation between pedestrians and vehicles are well known. Both of these companies were well versed in workplace transport risk management and both fell well below the required standard in ensuring that such risks were effectively managed in this area.”
He added:
“These failings allowed a pedestrian worker into a busy area where vehicles were coming and going and as a result the worker sustained serious injuries from which he has still not recovered. DHL Express is a division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post DHL providing international courier, parcel and express mail services. It is also a competitor of Royal Mail.
Source: CWU LTB335/17
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