Castleford-based Hessle Plant has been fined over £433,550 after delivery driver Chris Keegan was killed in November 2023, as he loaded a fork lift truck onto a trailer.
Leeds Magistrates Court heard that Keegan, who worked as a delivery driver for Hessle Plant at its main depot in Castleford, West Yorkshire,had been tasked with returning the forklift truck to a customer’s site in Sheffield following repair work to its transmission.
As he reversed the vehicle onto the trailer shortly after 6am, it fell from the side of the trailer bed. Keegan was thrown from the seat and became trapped between the chassis of the forklift and a neighbouring trailer.
Keegan’s wife and two of his stepdaughters arrived at the depot as the emergency services fought to save Keegan’s life, but he passed away at the scene.
An investigation by HSE found that the forklift had not been subject to a full inspection to ensure it was safe to operate.
Examination of the forklift by HSE after the accident found several other defects which should have been identified and rectified before it was operated.
The investigation found that whilst Hessle Plant would undertake a full pre-delivery inspection on forklift trucks being delivered to new customers, at the time of the accident the company did not do this for machines being returned to existing customers.
HSE also found that many of the company’s employees would rarely wear seatbelts when operating forklift trucks, and there was no system in place for monitoring and enforcing seatbelt use on site.
HSE guidance states that employers should ensure that work equipment – such as a forklift truck – has been properly maintained and inspected if necessary to ensure it remains in a safe condition to operate.
HSE guidance also states that where seatbelts are fitted to a counterbalance forklift truck, they should be used. Further guidance for rider-operated lift trucks can be found at HSE’s website.
Hessle Plant, of Carrwood Road Industrial Estate, Glasshoughton, Castleford, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
The company was fined £433,550 and ordered to pay £8,146.80 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge as Leeds Magistrates’ Court.
Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector, David Beaton, said: “This was a tragic and preventable death. Mr Keegan was placed at undue risk by operating a machine with underlying maintenance defects, which he would have been unaware of when attempting to reverse the forklift in the dark onto a trailer with an exposed edge.
“Had Mr Keegan been wearing the seatbelt provided, the accident he suffered would likely not have proven fatal.
“Every year there are fatal accidents caused by machinery which has not been properly maintained or inspected, and forklift truck drivers not wearing seatbelts.
“This case should underline to all businesses, which hire out or operate forklift trucks, the importance of keeping machinery in efficient working order and ensuring the use of seatbelts by forklift drivers is appropriately supervised.”
Keegan’s widow said: “Chris was a wonderful, kind and generous man, who would do anything he could for anyone. He especially did anything he could for me.
“My heart is broken, and I will never get over losing my husband in such a horrific way. He never deserved to die in such tragic circumstances.”
