2 owners of Kidderminster company each fined £12,150 following forklift truck accident

The two owners of Kidderminster based fencing firm Hoo Farm Fencing have been given suspended sentences and each fined £12,150 (inc.costs) after a worker was hit by timber posts and frames which fell from a fork lift truck.
The circumstances were:

• On 12 February 2016, Raymond Lainsbury was helping to dip timber posts and frames in preservative.
• The posts were on a frame on a forklift truck.
• The equipment was not suitable for the task. 
• The operator had not been properly trained to operate a fork lift truck. 
• The company also failed to have the fork lift truck thoroughly examined.
• The posts fell from the fame, striking him.

Maurice James Blackford and Susan Hawthorn both pled guilty to breaching section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
They were sentenced to 18 weeks imprisonment suspended for two years and each fined £10,000 and half the costs of £4318.

The HSE inspector said
“The seriousness of the safety failings could have resulted in much more severe injuries to Mr Lainsbury who was lucky to walk away from this incident. This case highlights the importance of maintaining proper safety practices and also all duty holders will be held accountable for failing to do so.”