Edinburgh pharmaceutical company fined £12,000 after lorry crushes employee

Macfarlan Smith Limited, an Edinburgh based pharmaceutical company was fined £12,000 after a reversing lorry crushed an employee's head and chest resulting in severe injury.

The circumstances were:

• The accident occurred on 30 September 2011 to Alexander Mackenzie, an employee at Macfarlan Smith Limited, when working in the loading bay.
• There was no suitable and sufficient risk assessment for the task.
• There was no safe system of work.
• The loading bay area not kept clear and free from obstructions.
• Mr Mackenzie attempted to signal a reversing lorry into a loading bay.
• The driver did not see him as he was focussed on another individual who was signalling the lorry in.
• As a result Mr MacKenzie was crushed between the lorry and the loading bay wall. 
• He suffered crush injuries to his head, face, and chest from which he has now fully recovered.

The Head of the COPFS Health & Safety Division said:

"Macfarlan Smith Limited accepted liability and the Crown accepted their guilty plea to the contraventions of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. Since this incident the company has introduced new risk assessments and has put into practice safe systems of work. This was an entirely avoidable accident which resulted in the severe injury of an employee that has thankfully had no long lasting effect."