Textile firm fined £300,000 after worker struck by vehicle

The man, now 42, suffered serious injuries to his legs in the incident that happened on 23 March 2023 at a factory belonging to JMP Wilcox & Company Limited at Beldtray Works in Bilston.

Stills from CCTV footage captured the scene moments before the 39-year-old man was struck. He had been using a ride-on electric pallet truck inside the factory building. The pallet trucks are used for transporting goods of clothing to sorting lines and other areas around the factory.

The man and his supervisor had been finding stock in the ‘goods-in’ area. He was using his pallet truck to return an empty cage when he was hit by a telescopic handler driven by another employee.

This CCTV still captured the moment leading up to the incident. Photograph: HSE

HSE found that the company failed to properly manage vehicle movements on site. This included organising the workplace in such a way as to ensure the safety of its employees, both pedestrians and those using vehicles.

JMP Wilcox & Co Limited of Beldray Road, Bilston fined £300,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,732 for breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.

Investigating HSE inspector Gail Bell said: “This incident highlights the dangers to safety from inadequate management of workplace transport.

“A man suffered very serious injuries due to the failure to put suitable control measures in place.

“These measures ensure people are kept safe at work and specifically prevent them being struck by a moving vehicle.”