UK HSE: Employee fatally injured while moving heavy equipment
- Safety Flash
- Published on 13 September 2021
- Generated on 13 November 2025
- IMCA SF 25/21
- 1 minute read
The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has fined a company whose employee was fatally injured while moving heavy machinery.
What happened?
Workers were moving a large and heavy milling machine using a forklift and machine-moving skates.
During the work, the machine became unstable and toppled over onto one of the workers, causing fatal head injuries.
What went wrong?
Investigation found that company had failed to:
- Assess and plan the task of moving the machine.
- Determine a safe system of work.
- Provide clear instructions to the workers.
- Supervise the activity.
In addition, the skates used were not adequately maintained nor subject to a suitable inspection programme to ensure that they were safe to use.
The inspector noted that:
“the lifting and movement of heavy machinery is a specialist and often complex task requiring significant planning, expertise, knowledge and specialist equipment to ensure the risks are controlled.”
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