News Item: Company Fined after a Worker was Injured by a Forklift Truck

A facility services company operating at Winchester prison has been fined after a worker suffered a broken leg when he was struck by a forklift truck (FLT).

Aldershot Magistrates' Court heard that, the Gov Facility Services Limited employee was injured whilst carrying out inspections of drain covers adjacent to a workshop. He was struck by a FLT, breaking the bone in his right leg. The driver of the FLT was unloading boxes for a delivery to the canteen, his view was obscured by the load on the forks, preventing him from seeing the other employee.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident found that the company had failed to carry out the appropriate risk assessment to identify and implement risk control measures to ensure vehicles and pedestrians were not working at the same time in the same place.

Gov Facility Services Limited of Albany House, Petty France, London pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,636.38.