The waste company was also ordered to pay legal costs of £1,600 following its appearance in Milton Keynes Magistrates' Court, last week, when it pleaded guilty to a Health and Safety at Work offence.
The prosecution was brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the incident at the MRF (materials recycling facilty) in Colts Holme Road, Old Wolverton, in October 2006, when forklift driver Andri Halonka was injured.
The HSE said that Mr Halonka was operating the forklift truck and had been loading and unloading material from a heavy goods vehicle, when the large vehicle suddenly moved. Mr Halonka's truck forks were still inside the HGV's trailer and the momentum caused his vehicle to keel over.
Mr Halonka, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time according to the HSE, suffered a compound fracture of his left arm. The Executive added that Community Waste had carried out a risk assessment of the task but failed to identify the significant factors that led to the accident in the assessment.
HSE prosecuting inspector Karl Howes said after the hearing: “This painful accident could have been avoided if the company had put the right measures in place to stop the forklift truck overturning.
“Community Waste Ltd should have made sure the HGV didn't move in the process of loading and unloading, and Mr Halonka should have been wearing his seatbelt to minimise personal injury,” he added.
The company pleaded guilty to charges under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which states that “it shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.”
Community Waste's MRF operations manager Daniel Pemberton said the accident happened as business was starting-up again following a fire which razed the building (see letsrecycle.com story).
He told letsrecycle.com that at the time new processes were in operation so all practices including health and safety had been under review. The operations manager added: “The timing was unfortunate. Measures were being put in place but just not quickly enough. However, they have all been rolled out now.”
Mr Pemberton explained that these measures included briefing staff on health and safety requirements, as well as setting-up an observation task system. Under this initative, he said staff are monitored regularly by the company's health and safety experts to make sure they are adhering to the guidance set down.
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