Operator fined over £100k for death of employee whilst unloading a lorry 

24 May 2023

An HGV operator in North Yorkshire was recently subject to a large fine after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £140,000 and ordered to pay £18,355.07 in costs after an employee was killed whilst moving a large piece of machinery from one trailer to another at an industrial estate in Richmond. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) conducted a detailed investigation into the incident and found that when a team of workers were transferring the load, the machinery was in two parts and the smaller section fell during the lifting operation. This section hit the employee resulting in immediate fatal injuries. 

HSE inspector Julian Franklin said: “If the load had been examined carefully prior to the lift being carried out, the team would have identified that it was in two pieces. As it was, the lifting method used was not suitable for a load of that size and shape, and a lifting plan should have been prepared. This terrible incident could so easily have been avoided by simply implementing the correct control measures and safe working practices.” You can read the full HSE article here.  

Most operators rightly worry about the obvious safety implications and the risks of their employees out driving on the road. What is often overlooked is the peripheral work that employees are required to do as part of general haulage or any other business where goods are in transit.  

We understand that the DVSA will be very shortly producing updated guidance on Load Security in the coming weeks. To be one of the first to hear about the guidance please ensure that you are signed up to our mailing list here  and our free fortnightly webinar here.

This is where the advice of a specialist transport solicitor is often needed. Backhouse Jones can provide expert guidance on everything relating to your operator’s licence from application issues to full support and representation at a public inquiry. For more information on Backhouse Jones’ team of expert road transport solicitors click here, call 01254 828 300, or email regulatory@backhouses.co.uk.