Burscough farm death: Fruit firm fined £320k after worker killed

Francis Schlachter fell from the top of the skip while working

A fruit and vegetable firm has been fined £320,000 over the death of a worker.

Francis Schlachter, 64, of Southport, died after he fell from a skip at the Burscough farm run by M. A. Forshaw Ltd on 3 January 2020.

M A Forshaw Ltd, of Scarisbrick, West Lancashire, admitted health and safety breaches at Wirral Magistrates' Court.

Mr Schlachter's wife said he was her "rock" and "always put his family first".

Mr Schlachter, who was known as Frank, was tipping waste food into a skip from a container on a forklift truck.

The container could not be properly fixed to the truck and had been known to become loose from the vehicle.

As Mr Schlachter was standing on top of the skip trying to help fix it to the forklift truck the container slipped and he fell to the ground.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found M A Forshaw Ltd had not fully assessed the risks of the daily task.

The investigators said the firm would have seen the dangers if it had carried out the right checks.

The company, of Heatons Bridge Farm, Scarisbrick, West Lancashire, failed to maintain equipment properly or make sure staff knew how to work safely, the HSE added.

M A Forshaw Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £320,000.

It must also pay £4,574 in costs.

'A gentleman'

Mr Schlachter's wife of 35 years, Linda, said she had lost her "soulmate".

"He was a gentleman through and through, who will live on in our hearts and memories forever.

"No man should go to work and never return home after a day of hard work," she added.

HSE inspector Lianne Farrington said Mr Schlachter's death was an avoidable tragedy.

"If suitable work practices had been in place... Frank's death could have been prevented," she said.

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