Confectionery firm fined after man breaks arm unloading truck

A sweet manufacturer has been fined £5,000 after an employee climbed on a forklift truck to help keep its balance while unloading equipment from a lorry and fell, breaking his arm.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) the worker at Lees of Scotland was asked to get on the forklift truck to try to help it stay upright because it couldn’t lift the load.

The employee fell from the vehicle in the yard of the company’s Coatbridge site, resulting in a broken arm, cuts to his head and muscle damage to his back.

He was off work for more than four weeks, before returning on light duties.

An investigation by the HSE found that Lees of Scotland had failed to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks arising from a lifting operation undertaken by employees.

This involved the unloading of a lorry using a forklift truck which was not capable of lifting the weight of the loads.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act and was fined £5,000 at Airdrie Sheriff Court on December 13.

HSE inspector Ashley Fallis said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.

“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”