Fork lift truck accidents
There are about 8000 reportable accidents involving fork lift trucks every year in the UK. That's 22 every single day of the year! About 12 of these are fatal and it's fair to say that the number of fatal accidents has dropped over the years.
Some of the more recent accidents that have come to my attention are listed below and I will update these on an ongoing basis. The fines seem to be getting larger!
(I have deliberately removed the names of people and companies involved in these accidents to avoid further upset to those concerned)
Two companies have been fined a total of £100,000 following the death of a maintenance worker who fell from the forks of a forklift truck at a Macclesfield factory. Dec 2011 More
Female rugby player crushed to death by forklift truck in freak warehouse accident. Dec 2011 More
Manufacturing firm fined after forklift hits worker. October 2011. More
10th August 2011 A Sheffield engineering firm has admitted breaching health and safety laws after a worker was crushed to death in an horrific fork lift truck accident. More
21 March 2011 A Nuneaton recycling company has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an 18-year-old employee was pinned to the ground by a forklift truck. More
6 May 2011. A metal engineering company based in Chard Junction has been fined after one of its workers suffered serious injuries when a forklift truck tipped over trapping his leg under the load. More
31 March 2011. A food processing company has been prosecuted for safety failings after an employee broke his leg when he was struck by a fork-lift truck at a Harwich factory. More
3 March 2011. A Yeovil vehicle repair and sales company has today been prosecuted after one of its workers fell from a cage balanced on a fork lift truck. More
10 March 2011. A Lincolnshire pipework company has been fined after a fork lift truck that had been lowering a cage containing two workers to the ground, hit one of the men. More
Jan 2011. Recycling company fined after man dies from being struck by telehandler. More
(May 24th 2011). A fatal crash between a fork lift truck and an HGV has prompted the Fork Lift Truck Association to issue an urgent reminder of the laws governing safe operation on public roads. More
A plant hire company and one of its mechanics have been fined after a fork lift truck overturned, killing the driver. Details
A farming company was prosecuted following an accident to an employee who was hit by falling metal framework balanced on the forks of a forklift truck. Details
A Llanelli-based automotive manufacturer has been fined £400,000 after an employee died on the day he was to take voluntary redundancy. Details
(April 2011) Two companies are due to be sentenced for a "catalogue of breaches" of health and safety rules after a teenager was seriously injured when a fork lift truck toppled over. Details
A Cardiff-based truck and van company has been fined £20,000 after a mechanic fell from a makeshift platform attached to a forklift truck. Details
A quarry worker suffered a broken leg after heavy stones toppled on top of him in a workplace accident. Details
A truck and van company has been fined £20,000 for breaching height safety regulations after a mechanic fell from a DIY platform attached to the forks of a fork lift truck. Details
A Rochdale engineering company has been fined after a two-tonne piece of machinery fell onto a labourer, leaving him with multiple fractures. Details
A Wandsworth company, has been fined £100,000 after a worker was fatally injured when he was crushed by six tonnes of stone slabs whilst unloading a vehicle. Details
An international metal-processing company has been fined £12,500 after one of its workers was run over by a forklift truck in Bolton. Details
A farming company was fined £20,000 after a court heard how a Hungarian student was killed when the fork lift truck she was riding on overturned. Details
The employer of an untrained man who injured himself when his telehandler overturned has been fined nearly £7,000 for its part in the accident. Details
A major UK manufacturer of tractors has been hit with simultaneous safety fines as it appeared in court facing two unconnected offences. Details
A fork-lift driver whose reckless actions led to the death of a colleague and friend has been fined a total of £2,500 Details
A 25-year-old worker has been killed in an accident involving a fork lift truck at a warehouse in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. It happened at around 10am on Monday 26th April 2010 at a glass recycling company. (29th April 2010). Details
A construction company has been ordered to pay £4,500 after one of its workers was seriously injured when a forklift truck telehandler he was operating overturned. Details
A well known supermarket was slammed for 'extreme carelessness' by a crown court judge after a female employee had her leg seriously injured by a fork lift truck. Details
A retail giant has paid out six-figure sums after it's employee was injured in a fork lift truck accident. Details
The employers of a young man crushed to death in a lift truck accident have been fined for breaching health and safety legislation alongside the manager who condoned dangerous work practices. Details
A South Wales firm has been fined £50,000 after a worker lost the sight in one eye when a heavy sheet of toughened glass fell on him. Details
A London port has been ordered to pay out £250,000 after a six-year-old boy died while riding on a lift-truck at the dock. Details
A white goods giant has been ordered to pay almost £40,000 in fines and costs after a court heard how a worker was seriously injured when a stack of cookers fell on him. Details
The dangers of standing on the forks of a lift truck have been highlighted in court once again, following a tragedy in which a young father was crushed to death against a lorry. Details
A Northampton man has been crushed to death by a forklift truck in an horrific accident. The man, aged 28, died when the fork arm of the nine tonne truck toppled onto a car. Details
The HSE has warned that it will take action against workers whose 'horseplay' leads to an accident. The comment comes after an employee's act of stupidity left two teenage brothers with serious injuries. Details
HSE has once again been forced to issue a warning on the importance of controlling workplace transport, following the death of a man crushed by a load dislodged from a fork-lift truck. Details
A fork lift truck driver has been prosecuted and fined after his carelessness could have resulted in the death of a co-worker. Details
Although not strictly a fork lift accident this one is relevant. Two companies have been fined a total of £30,000 after a worker who had not been trained to understand risk assessments needlessly lost his fingertips in a machinery accident. Details
A man who forged his credentials and fooled a firm into employing him as a lift truck operator has been fined after he broke a colleague's back with his vehicle. Details
A man was crushed to death in a tragic lift truck accident after his vehicle hit an obstacle at a Northampton factory. Details