Boss of Scrap Company Runs Over Employee with Forklift Truck
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Both a vehicle scrap company, and its sole director, Ghol Mohammad Navabi, have been fined after causing serious crushing injuries to an employee whilst operating a forklift truck. The unnamed worker of Cambridge-based Queensferry Car Breakers Ltd suffered multiple fractures in both their legs in the workplace accident.
On 1st March 2021, the employee was asked to collect a car bonnet by Navabi, who was operating the forklift truck. He left the container they were both in to fetch the object down a ramp, but he was quicker than expected. Navabi had begun reversing the forklift truck down the ramp as the employee returned, which hit and ran over him, causing serious personal injury.
The HSE investigation found significant breaches in workplace health and safety. Not only was the truck poorly maintained, but it also had no working breaks – neither foot nor hand breaks, and the steering was defective. Navabi failed to segregate pedestrians from the dangerous moving vehicles in his scrapyard. The company also had no compulsory employer’s liability insurance.
QCB Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work act. Navabi was imprisoned for 20 weeks, suspended for 12 months, given 15 mandatory rehabilitation activity days, forced to work 180 unpaid hours, and ordered to pay costs of £3,923 to the prosecution. Emma Page, HSE inspector, said:
“This incident could have easily resulted in a fatality and could have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.”
“This risk was further amplified by the company’s failure to undertake a number of safety measures, including segregating vehicles and pedestrians.”
Have you Been Injured by a Forklift Truck at Work?
Forklift trucks are not the only dangerous vehicle in the workplace, but they are common vehicles to be involved in accidents at work. Most who are killed in such accidents work in the agriculture industry or the transport and storage industry. But make no mistake, wherever you work, if there are no proper safeguards in place, or you work around defective vehicles, your life is at risk.
If you’ve suffered an injury at work that you’re not to blame for, contact us to get a free claim assessment. We’ll discuss liabilities with you and what you could start to claim in compensation. We’ll also talk about our No Win, No Fee* claiming process, to make a stressful situation that much easier. Call now on 08082391859^ to speak to our injury experts.
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