A Stonehaven animal feed company has been fined after a lorry driver was crushed to death when a two-tonne, fully-loaded grain bin fell onto him from a forklift truck.
David Leslie, who was 49, was helping with a grain loading operation when the incident happened. The grain bin had been picked up by a forklift driver, who raised the forks to about five and a half feet to allow better visibility as he moved forward. However, the bin fell off the forks and struck Mr Leslie, who was standing in front of the forklift. He died after suffering crush injuries to his head, neck and chest.
HSE Investigation Findings
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the Stonehaven firm uncovered several serious safety failings by the company:
Lack of a Safe System of Work – There were no written procedures in place for the grain-loading task, leaving operators to determine their own methods.
Poor Communication of Safety Rules – Although the company’s site rules stated that visiting drivers should remain clear of loading operations until instructed otherwise, this was not communicated effectively to staff or drivers.
History of Similar Incidents – Despite previous occasions where grain bins had slipped from forklift forks, no safety devices or securing mechanisms had been installed to prevent recurrence.
Court Proceedings and Sentence
At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, the company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £240,000.
HSE Principal Inspector Niall Miller stressed that the dangers of unsecured loads and poor segregation between vehicles and pedestrians are well-documented across all relevant industries.
“Around a quarter of all workplace transport incidents involve forklift trucks, and in half of these cases, someone is struck by the vehicle or a falling load,” said Mr Miller. “It was entirely foreseeable that there was a risk of death or serious injury if the grain bin fell from the forklift, especially given the company’s awareness of previous similar incidents.”
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