Hanson Quarry Products Europe fined £411,000 after employee loses 4 fingers during a lifting operation

Hanson Quarry Products Europe were fined £411,000 (inc.costs) after an employee lost four fingers due to poor lifting operations when a large metal gate slipped off the tines of a forklift truck.

The circumstances were:

• The accident happened at their Kings Cross site in London on 27 September 2016.
• A large metal gate was being lifted using a forklift truck.
• The company had failed to plan and supervise the lifting operation.
• The gate was attached to the forklift with a chain on an “O-ring” that was slotted on to the tines with nothing to prevent it sliding off.
• The gate fell as it was being lifted, slicing the worker’s hand as it fell to the floor.  

The HSE inspector said:
“The use of forklift truck, chain and O-ring was unsafe, putting workers at unnecessary risk. This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply having a competent person plan a safe lifting operation and providing adequate supervision to ensure the lifting operation was carried out safely.”