Forklift training accrediting body RTITB is saddened about the "avoidable incident" that left a young man seriously injured.

A UK company has had to pay more than GBP27,000 (USD45,868) in costs and fines after an incident involving a forklift and an untrained operator.

The East Anglian Daily Times reported a 27-year-old male agency worker operating for Murfitts Industries was manoeuvring a forklift while the clamp attachment was raised, causing the vehicle to overturn and crush him. He now needs permanent antibiotics after having his spleen removed.

The HSE that investigated the incident in September 2012 found the company trained its own staff but not agency workers. Murfitts' negligent "cost-cutting strategies" cost it GBP17,000 (USD28,880) in fines and another GBP10,985 (USD18,661) after it pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 9 (1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment regulations 1998 (PUWER).

To comply with Regulation 9 of PUWER, employers are legally obligated to ensure novice operators have satisfactorily completed basic training, specific job training and familiarisation training before issuing an authorisation to operate on their premises.

RTITB, formerly the Road Transport Industry Training Board, says it is saddened about the "avoidable incident" that has left a young man with serious injuries. RTITB claims to be the largest forklift training accrediting body in the UK and Ireland. It examines more than 900 forklift instructor candidates annually and has accredited more than 450 organisations.