Protective workwear could have helped bottling firm employee avoid forklift injuries

A member of staff at a bottling firm in Chorley could have avoided injury had he been wearing protective workwear when being lifted by the prongs of a forklift truck.

The 39-year-old from Preston was filmed standing on the forks of the truck when it became overbalanced, causing him to fall and suffer bruising on his right hip and thigh.

H&A Prestige Packing Company Ltd has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after the incident, which occurred on May 31st last year at Ackhurst Business Park.

Several workers had been seen standing on the prongs, but two layers of management had done nothing about it.

The firm pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and was subsequently fined £14,000 and paid prosecution costs of £6,657 for the offences.

H&A Prestige Packing Company should have carried out assessment of risks and ensured the safety of its workers.

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