Waste Company fined £160,000 after an employee suffers life-changing crush injuries

A waste and recycling company has been fined £160,000 after a loading shovel bucket fell onto a maintenance worker. The employee was fixing a hydraulic leak on the loading shovel when the vehicle’s bucket fell onto them. The employee sustained injuries including fractures to his ribs, leg, foot and pelvis.

A HSE Investigation found that the company had failed to undertake a risk assessment for the maintenance activity and had not devised a safe system of work. The company also failed to provide adequate information, instruction and training to the employee. The company pleaded guilty to breaching s.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

This incident could have been and should have been prevented, had there been a safe system of work in place. Businesses should ensure that that they have safe systems of work and that they are regularly reviewed and adhered to.