A Worcester-based waste and recycling company has been fined \u00a3160,000 after a loading shovel bucket fell onto a maintenance worker.<\/p>\n
Blackpole Recycling Limited was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the incident at its site on Blackpole Trading Estate West in Worcester.<\/p>\n
Mr Andrew Taylor, a father of two from Worcester, was fixing a hydraulic leak on the loading shovel when the vehicle\u2019s bucket fell on him. He was airlifted to hospital where he required three operations. His crush injuries included fractures to his ribs, leg, foot and pelvis, which was shattered into three pieces.<\/p>\n
Photograph of loading shovel<\/p>\n
Speaking about the incident, Mr Taylor said: \u201cI remember being in the emergency room with 15 doctors and nurses, and my wife. The nurse told me not to worry but I was worried about the here and now. Prior to the accident I used to go to the gym and go running, but since the accident I can\u2019t even get up the stairs.\u201d<\/p>\n
HSE\u2019s investigation found that Blackpole Recycling Limited had failed to undertake a risk assessment for the maintenance activity and had not devised a safe system of work. The company also failed to provide adequate information, instruction and training to Mr Taylor.<\/p>\n
Blackpole Recycling Limited, of Thorneloe House, 25 Barbourne Road, Worcester, Worcestershire, England, WR1 1RU, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company wase fined \u00a3160,000 and ordered to pay \u00a3\u00a37,049 in costs and a victims surcharge of \u00a32,000 at a hearing at Kidderminster Magistrates\u2019 Court on 30 September 2025.<\/p>\n
HSE Inspector Charlie Rowe, who led the investigation, said: \u201cThis incident could and should have been prevented. Had a safe system of work been in place, Mr Taylor would not have sustained these serious, life-changing injuries.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe absence of an appropriate risk assessment, method statement, training and supervision for this maintenance task created a scenario where someone could easily have been killed.<\/p>\n
\u201cEmployers must ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the safety of their employees. Where they fail to do so, HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action.\u201d<\/p>\n
The prosecution was brought by HSE enforcement lawyer Matthew Reynolds and paralegal officer Jason Dix.<\/p>\n
Further information:<\/strong><\/p>\n The Health and Safety Executive<\/a>\u00a0(HSE) is Britain\u2019s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives. A Worcester-based waste and recycling company has been fined \u00a3160,000 after a loading shovel bucket fell onto a maintenance worker. Blackpole Recycling Limited was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the incident at its site on Blackpole Trading Estate West in Worcester. Mr Andrew Taylor, a father of two from Worcester, was…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2123"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2123"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2123\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2123"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2123"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.safetyphoto.co.uk\/safety_news\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2123"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nMore information about the\u00a0legislation<\/a>\u00a0referred to in this case is available.
\nFurther details on the latest\u00a0HSE news releases<\/a>\u00a0is available.
\nHSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.\u00a0 The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"