A construction and tools supplier has been fined £137,000 following a Hillingdon Council investigation into an incident where an employee suffered injuries after being struck by a forklift truck.
Mills Limited, which operates from Zodiac Business Park, Cowley, Uxbridge, was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Wednesday 16 September after pleading guilty to two offences under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on 14 July.
The council’s health and safety officers were notified of a serious incident at the company’s warehouse on 13 September 2024 when a forklift truck collided with an employee. The collision caused them to fall and hit the back of their head on the floor, leaving them unconscious. They required hospital admission and after care.
The council received a statutory accident notification on 20 September and began an investigation. Officers reviewed questionnaire responses and health and safety documentation and carried out a site visit on 4 October to assess workplace conditions.
The investigation found that the company had failed to put effective controls in place to keep pedestrians separate from vehicle operations. It also identified a number of other safety failings, including a lack of designated walkways and exclusion zones, restricted visibility for forklift truck operators, and poor management of vehicle movements within the warehouse and yard.
The company's risk assessments from 2023 had already identified concerns about forklift truck movements and pedestrian safety, and recommended measures such as better segregation, warning signage, and tighter controls around loading and unloading activities.
CCTV footage from 6 September, a week before the incident, also showed a near miss involving a pedestrian and a forklift truck at the site, highlighting recurring risks.
The council subsequently served an Improvement Notice on 25 October requiring the company to strengthen its workplace transport safety arrangements, including better segregation between vehicles and pedestrians, reviewed risk assessments and introducing additional controls and monitoring measures.
When sentencing, the judge took into account that the company had self-reported the incident, actively engaged in the investigation, and introduced a range of improvements in line with the notice, including designated pedestrian routes, additional barriers, upgraded signage and lighting, refresher forklift truck training and banksman training for staff.
Mills Limited was ordered to pay a fine of £118,000, a victim surcharge of £2,000 and £17,000 towards the council’s prosecution costs.
Cllr Adam Bennett, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Community, Environment and Enforcement, said: “Businesses have a legal duty to protect the health and safety of their employees, visitors and anyone else who may be affected by their activities.
"This case highlights the serious consequences that can arise when workplace safety risks are not properly addressed, especially when large vehicles and machinery are involved.
"Our environmental health officers play an important role in ensuring businesses comply with the law and take the necessary steps to prevent harm. We will not hesitate to take action where serious failures are identified."
Workplace accidents can be reported to the council at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/health-safety-workplace.