The driver of a telescopic forklift truck was crushed between the descending arm and side of his vehicle on 18th September 2003 at the Davyhulme Waste Water Treatment Works in Trafford, Greater Manchester.

One of the vehicle’s cab windows, which normally acted as a guard, had been damaged some weeks earlier and was entirely missing, it is believed the deceased man leant out of the cab window and came into contact with the joystick, causing the arm to descend on him.

MB Plastics Ltd of Warrington, the deceased's employer, was fined £150,000 with costs of £24,323, it did not have a system for formal regular inspections of the plant.

Principal contractors Birse Water Ltd, (now trading as Birse Integrated Solutions Ltd) of Cheadle Hulme, was fined £50,000 with costs of £41,073, it failed to implement its own systems and failed to properly monitor what MB were doing, failing in its supervisory role.

Article created by Editor. (info@complyuk.co.uk)