Eco Waste was fined GBP30,000A Hertfordshire recycler has been fined over a workplace accident involving a telehandler that led to an employee’s leg being amputated.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says in a statement a 51-year-old employee had been sorting recyclable materials by hand on 16 March 2022 at the company’s waste transfer site in Newnham, Hertfordshire, when he was struck from behind by a reversing telehandler.
This incident led to the man’s right leg being amputated above the knee.
An investigation by the HSE found Eco Waste and Recycling Limited failed to adequately segregate vehicles and pedestrians at its site and failed to act quickly on the findings of risk assessments.
Eco Waste was fined GBP30,000 (USD37,287) and ordered to pay GBP3,102.50 (USD3,856) in costs at St Albans Magistrates Court.
Eco Waste and Recycling Limited pleaded guilty to breaching 4(1) of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and Regulation 5(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
HSE inspector Adam Johnson says: “This incident could so easily have been avoided. Segregation measures should have been in place between vehicles and pedestrians.”