The farming company pleaded guilty in the Wirral Magistrates' CourtFarming company M.A. Forshaw has been fined GBP320,000 (USD403,630) over a fatal forklift accident at farm in Burscough in West Lancashire.
Francis Schlachter, known as Frank, suffered fatal injuries on 3 January 2020 as he was using a forklift to tip food waste into a skip.
An investigation by the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) determined the container attached to the forklift was known to be faulty.
Schlachter was standing on the skip when the container slipped off the forklift.
The 64-year-old fell and sustained fatal head injuries.
The HSE found M.A. Forshaw had not fully assessed the risks involved in the daily task Schlachter was performing at the time of the accident.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
It was fined GBP320,000 (USD403,630) and ordered to pay GBP4,574 (USD5,770) costs at a hearing at Wirral Magistrates’ Court on 1 February 2024.
HSE inspector Lianne Farrington says: “This wholly avoidable tragic incident led to the death of a much-loved husband, dad and grandad.
“It was caused by the failure of the company to implement safe systems of work, properly maintain work equipment, and sufficiently assess the risks involved in routine work processes.
“If suitable work practices had been in place prior to the incident, Frank’s death could have been prevented.”