HSE | A company in the West Midlands that reclaims and processes textiles has been fined £300,000 after one of its workers was hit by a telehandler.
The man, now 42, suffered serious injuries to his legs in the incident that happened on 23 March 2023 at a factory belonging to JMP Wilcox and Company Limited at Beldtray Works in Bilston.
Stills from CCTV footage captured the scene moments before the 39-year-old man was struck. He had been using a ride-on electric pallet truck inside the factory building. The pallet trucks are used for transporting goods of clothing to sorting lines and other areas around the factory.
The man and his supervisor had been finding stock in the ‘goods-in’ area. He was using his pallet truck to return an empty cage when he was hit by a telescopic handler that was being driven by another employee.
The HSE’s investigation found that the company failed to properly manage vehicle movements on site. This included organising the workplace in such a way as to ensure the safety of its employees, both pedestrians and those using vehicles.
JMP Wilcox and Co Limited of Beldray Road, Bilston pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and were fined £300,000 with costs of £7,732.
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