A manufacturing firm has been fined £40,000 by the HSE after an unsafe forklift lifting operation caused a 500kg pillar drill to fall.
A Redditch-based spring and stampings manufacturer has been fined £40,000 following an incident in which a worker sustained severe injuries during a machinery moving operation. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the firm after a 36-year-old employee fractured twelve ribs when a 500kg pillar drill fell during a lift.
HSE inspectors determined that the lifting operation, which utilised a forklift truck to move the heavy workshop machinery, was neither properly planned nor adequately risk-assessed. The prosecution highlighted fundamental failures in establishing a safe system of work for handling heavy plant and workshop equipment.
In addition to the £40,000 fine, the company was ordered to pay court costs. The HSE emphasised that moving heavy workshop machinery demands strict adherence to lifting regulations, including proper rigging, suitable equipment selection, and clear exclusion zones to protect workers on the shop floor.
This ruling is a stark reminder for workshop managers, joiners, and fabricators taking delivery of heavy floor-standing machinery like pillar drills, bandsaws, or thickenessers. When buying heavy workshop machinery from machinery suppliers or direct auctions, factor in professional transport and rigging costs rather than relying on improvised forklift setups or manual handling. Buying rated lifting slings, shackles, and proper machinery moving skates from tool suppliers is essential. Never attempt to lift top-heavy equipment weighing hundreds of kilograms without verified attachment points and a documented plan.
Never use makeshift forklift attachments or unverified rigging to relocate heavy workshop equipment; always conduct a formal risk assessment and use properly rated lifting gear managed by trained personnel.
Reported by HSE — original article
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