News Item: West Midlands Company Fined After Worker Killed by Forklift Truck

A Birmingham manufacturer of calcium carbonate products has been sentenced after a worker suffered fatal injuries when struck by a forklift truck.

Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard how, Christine Workman, an employee of Minteq UK Ltd (trading as Specialty Minerals) was struck by a forklift truck whilst walking in the designated pedestrian area of the site’s roadway. She suffered severe crush injuries and tragically died.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the measures in place to separate and segregate pedestrians from vehicles were inadequate, with the designated pedestrian walkway running, unprotected, down the centre of the roadway used by vehicles.

Minteq UK Ltd of Lifford Lane, Kings Norton, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and has been fined £200,000 and ordered to pay costs of £23,217.87.