Recycling company fined £1.2m after worker hit by wagon

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said that if CF Booth had mitigated the risks to pedestrians from vehicles at its processing site then the incident could have been avoided.

The employee was crossing the yard in August 2020 when he was struck by a 32-tonne skip wagon. The HSE said the man was not wearing a hi-vis jacket and had not seen the lorry approaching.

The driver did not see the employee due to concentrating on manoeuvring the vehicle around low-level skips which had been placed near where the employee was crossing the yard.

Following the incident, the man sustained a fractured skull and also fractured his collar bone in two places but has since made a full recovery.

An HSE investigation found that at the time of the incident the site was not organised in such a way that pedestrians and vehicles could circulate in a safe manner.

A suitable and sufficient workplace transport risk assessment was not in place for the segregation of vehicles and pedestrians. The company had failed to take steps to properly assess the risks posed by the movement of vehicles and pedestrians.

The HSE added that the incident could have been prevented by adequately assessing the risks and implementing appropriate control measures such as physical barriers and crossing points.

The company, which holds a licence authorising 35 HGVs and 40 trailers, pleaded guilty to breaching the health and safety at work act and it was also ordered to pay costs of £5,694.85.

HSE inspector Kirstie Durrans said: “If CF Booth Limited had assessed the risks and ensured vehicles and pedestrians could circulate in a safe manner, this incident could have easily been avoided.

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