Firm fined £30k after forklift injures dock worker

The forklift truck left Harvey Addison with serious injuries

A company has been fined £30,000 after a worker was left seriously injured having been run over and dragged by a forklift.

Qube Containers Limited, in Suffolk, was also ordered to pay £3,752 in costs for failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employee Harvey Addison.

The company admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act after the 21-year-old's ankle was broken by a forklift truck while he was working at the Port of Ipswich, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The investigative body said the firm had failed to provide equipment that was safe or risk-assess the system of work for emptying the bins – which was unsafe.

'Could have been prevented'

The HSE's investigation also found that traffic routes for the forklift were not organised in a safe manner and vehicles and pedestrians circulated in close proximity.

"This injury could easily have been prevented," said HSE inspector Adepeju Sogadgi.

"Employers introducing new processes should make sure they assess the work activity sufficiently and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk."

According to the HSE, Mr Addison was working with a driver of the forklift truck to empty two small bins into a larger commercial waste bin on 11 December 2023 when the incident happened.

The two tipping bins, filled with ratchet straps and chocks, had been positioned on a pallet, which was being carried on the forks of the truck.

While Mr Addison was standing on the pallet, some of the straps fell from the full waste bins before getting caught in the wheels of the truck.

One of these straps then got caught on the worker's foot, pulling him to the ground as the forklift truck drove over his foot, breaking his ankle.

Mr Addison remained in hospital for nine days, and also requiring skin grafts on the outside of his left calf and behind his left thigh just above his knee.

'Risk should have been considered'

Qube Containers Limited, of Forbes Business Centre, Kempson Way, Bury St Edmunds, pleaded guilty at Norwich Magistrates' Court on Friday.

"There should be systems in place to ensure safety and the risk should have been considered and documented," added Mr Sogadgi.

Qube Containers Limited has been contacted for comment.