Firm fined £36,000 over forklift accident

9:19am Friday 25th January 2008

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A HAMPSHIRE company has been told to pay more than £36,000 in fines and costs after an employee was hit by a forklift truck and left disabled.

Lee McMahon suffered a crushed heel and other injuries in the accident. He is now in continuous pain and has to use a wheelchair.

Mr McMahon, of Millbrook, Southampton, was working at Harris Transport Limited in Eling Wharf, Totton, when the accident happened.

Company director George Harris appeared at New Forest Magistrates' Court and admitted three offences under health and safety laws.

The company failed to provide sufficient lighting in the workplace, failed to sufficiently assess risks to employees and failed to ensure the safety of an employee.

Raymond Kelly, prosecuting, said Mr McMahon was working in the loading area when he was struck from behind by the forklift.

Mr Kelly said the lights on the vehicle were defective, which meant the light level was "appallingly low".

The driver had only limited experience of driving it and afterwards admitted that it had "bad visibility" in the cab, side and back, the court heard.

Richard Morris, in mitigation, said the company moved to the Totton site only seven months before the accident and was still undergoing a "period of adjustment".

He added that the driver could have used a spare truck if he was unhappy with the one he was operating.

The company was fined a total of £28,000 for the three offences and was also ordered to pay costs totalling £8,986.