Textiles firm fined £300k after worker struck by vehicle

The 42-year-old suffered serious injuries to his legs following the incident on 23 March 2023 at JMP Wilcox & Company factory.

He had been using a ride-on electric pallet truck inside the building when a telehandler being driven by another employee hit him.

Health and Safety Executive (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.”

Then 39, the employee had been returning an empty cage to the “goods-in” area when the incident occurred. It was captured by CCTV footage.

Based in Beldtray Works in Bilston, JMP Wilcox was found to have failed to properly manage vehicle movements on site in the resulting HSE investigation.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and were also ordered to pay costs of £7,732 at Dudley Magistrates’ Court on 20 June 2025.

This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Andy Siddall and paralegal officer Melissa Wardle.

JMP Wilcox specialises in the sorting and processing of used textiles.

HSE guidance

HSE provided additional guidance on the management of workplace transport, including:

• The importance of risk assessment considering the risks associated with impact from other vehicles in the area such as telescopic handlers, forklift trucks and other trucks such as heavy goods vehicles (HGV) and what separation is required from those vehicles; and
• What separation would be required from other pedestrians and that these controls are implemented.