Tufnells Parcels Express Ltd has been fined £150,000 and ordered to pay £19,000 in court costs after an employee was seriously injured when his skull was crushed by a reversing lorry at the company's depot in West Horndon nr Brentwood, Essex.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that Simon Mason, 22, from Romford, Essex was working the nightshift as a warehouse porter. An articulated 45ft HGV trailer was being reversed into an open loading bay while Mr Mason waited to unload it. Mr Mason noticed the trailer was not positioned straight in the bay, so thinking it had stopped moving, he put his head around the back of the trailer to shout instructions to the driver. Just as he did so, the trailer came back further, crushing his head against the brick bay wall.
Mr Mason received severe head injuries requiring constant care for months and had to undergo several operations. He returned to work in February but is still suffering some long term effects.
The company whose Head Office is in Shepcote House, Shepcote Lane, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £150,000 with costs of £19,000.