A South Wales haulier has been ordered to pay more than £52,000 in fines and costs after a worker was crushed by a hydraulic arm on one of its vehicles.
Plymouth Magistrates’ Court was told a man working for Bridgend-based Bryan Alexander suffered “life-changing” internal injuries when he was hit by the hydraulic extension while unloading a trailer in Plymouth in January 2015.
As he moved out of the way of another approaching vehicle, the man came into the path of the hydraulic arm he did not know was moving.
The HSE, which prosecuted the company, found the firm had failed to put a safe system of work in place for the use of hydraulic equipment.
The company, which holds an O-licence authorising up to 11 vehicles and four trailers, pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It was fined £46,667 and ordered to pay £6,228.04 in costs.
HSE inspector Melissa Lai-Hung said: “This case highlights that duty holders have the responsibility to implement safe systems of work to avoid serious incidents like this.”
