Egg company fined after forklift overturns

Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard that on 1 December 2018 an employee of Staveley’s Eggs Ltd had been driving the FLT at the company’s premises at Goosnargh Near Preston, when the truck overturned, trapping the driver between the truck and the ground, leading to him sustaining serious life changing crush injuries as a result.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the areas where FLTs were driven had significant changes in gradient which were not a suitable surface for the type of FLTs in use. The company failed to both identify and control the risk of FLT overturn.

Staveley’s Eggs Ltd of Coppull, Chorley pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company were fined £60,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4259.42.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Steven Boyd commented, “This incident could so easily have been avoided by ensuring the area where FLTs were driven was free of slopes and damage, and that a suitable FLT was used for the site.

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