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A skip hire and waste management company has been fined heavily after one of its workers was hit by a reversing loading shovel and suffered life changing injuries.
The Easy Load Ltd employee had been crossing the firm's base at Lee’s Yard, Old Rochester Way, Dartford.
The waste management worker was waiting for his Artic lorry to be re-loaded when he was struck by a 21-tonne loading shovel reversing around a blind bend in the yard.
He suffered life changing injuries and is still recovering, unable to return to work.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company and its managing director had failed to take reasonable steps to ensure there was adequate space between pedestrians and vehicles in the waste processing yard.
The government agency, which is responsible for the enforcement of workplace safety, said directors were already aware of the risks when the incident occurred on December 14, 2018.
This was due to reports of previous transport-related incidents occurring in the yard.
HSE said bosses had continued to ignore its advice and that of their health and safety consultant, leaving workers exposed to the risks.
The waste management company pleaded guilty to breaching workplace safety regulations at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court and was fined £150,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,454.20.
Director of the firm, Tomas J Lee, of Chislehurst, Bromley, also appeared before the court where he pleaded guilty to breaching the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
He was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay £549.40 costs.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Susie Beckett said: “Workplace transport activities are one of the biggest risks in the waste and recycling industry.
"This incident, and the resulting life changing injuries suffered, were avoidable and occurred as a result of a fundamental management failing on the part of the company and its directors, who patently failed to address and control clear risks which had been brought to their attention.
“HSE will not hesitate to hold both companies and individual directors, board members, business owners to account where management failings are found to be at the root of any health and safety offending.”
Easy Load Ltd were contacted for comment.
