Forklift Accidents

A director of a former car salvage company has been jailed for failing to comply with HSE enforcement notices served to protect the health and safety of workers in his workplace and visitors to the site.

Newport Crown Court heard that between 2018 and 2021, Tahir Karim was in control of activities and persons working at the site known as Long Life Spares, at Graddfa Industrial Estate, Llanbradach and failed to comply with four enforcement notices. The notices had been served in relation to structural safety and the use of unsafe forklift truck vehicles.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Mr Karim had failed to comply with all of the prohibition notices served. However, he was aware of the risks and directed workers to act in a way that contravened the prohibitions and risked their own safety.

Tahir Karim of Graddfa Industrial Estate, Colliery Road, Llanbradach, Caerphilly, Mid Glamorgan pleaded guilty to four offences that contravened Section 33 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Sian Donne, said “We do not tolerate disregard for health and safety and consider the non-compliance of HSE Enforcement Notices as a serious offence.”