Following the statistics on “Workplace Fatalities including those Involving Forklift Trucks” in our last News Article, in this one we report on a serious forklift truck accident, causing life changing injuries.
A press release from Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on 16 April 2026, alerted us on an accident involving a forklift truck which caused serious injuries to a 33-year man.
The incident happened on 14 December 2023 when a man working for BA Mobile Fleet Services Limited of Redditch was inside an HGV box trailer as it was being loaded by a forklift truck with concrete blocks weighing one tonne. The HGV box trailer was being loaded in preparation for a Driver Vehicle Standard Agency (DVSA) brake test. The man was inside the trailer with a colleague while another worker loaded the concrete blocks using a forklift truck. While loading was in progress, the forklift truck nudged an already loaded stack of blocks, causing them to topple on to the man’s legs, causing devastating and life changing injuries.
An investigation by the HSE found that the BA Mobile Fleet Services Limited failed to take appropriate precautions to segregate workers from moving vehicles including forklift truck on site. They also found that the company had failed to provide any training to the forklift truck operator. Also, the forklift truck operator was not authorised to drive it.
The injured man, a father of two, had severe injuries to his left foot and lower leg which was subsequently amputated and also sustained serious injuries to his right leg. Unfortunately, the man was also dismissed from his job after the incident.
HSE says that preventing transport incident requires the organisation to implement proven control measures consistently. This means conducting thorough risk assessments, maintain equipment rigorously, including forklift trucks, and empowering workers to identify hazards before incidents occur. HSE inspector Emman Page said “The injuries sustained here by this young man have been truly life-changing. Too many people are injured or killed every year in workplace transport related incidents. Companies should do all they can to ensure all workers go home safely to their families at the end of each day. We will take action against those who fail to do so”.
BA Mobile Fleet Services Limited of Redditch, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act. The company was fined £30,000 and was ordered to pay £4,325 costs at a hearing at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on 15 April 2026.
Ruth Wallace says “Organisations need to realise that accidents involving forklift trucks are likely to cause serious injuries which will be investigated by HSE inspectors, resulting in hefty fines. Always ensure that the forklift truck operator is appropriately trained”.
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