Packaging company fined after worker suffers life-changing head injuries

A paper packing company has been fined £433,333 after a 4.5-ton machine fell on a worker, causing life-changing injuries. The company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 8(1)(a) and (c) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations.

The worker was working on relocating the 4.5-ton machine from a warehouse to a storage area. The workers were not provided with a safe system of work to complete this job; therefore, they improvised and attempted to lift the machine with a forklift. The machine slipped off the forklift and struck the employee in the head.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation highlighted the absence of a safe system of work, and that the company had failed to plan for this activity, including risk assessment and highlighting the sheer weight of the machine.

Companies should ensure that any new activity, whether one-off or not, is risk assessed and that there is a safe system of work in place, with staff being aware of it.