UK rubber firm fined after forklift accident

ERJ staff report (DS)

Macclesfield UK -- Millennium Rubber International Ltd and United Crane Services Ltd have been prosecuted by the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following a death at Millennium Rubber's factory at Nab Works, Long Lane, Pott Shrigley.

Martin Denton, 60, was being lifted in a metal container, known as a stillage, on 10 June 2006 when it slipped off and he fell approximately four metres to the concrete floor below. The father-of-three from Rotherham died in hospital later that day from head injuries.

The HSE investigation found that it had been standard practice for Millennium Rubber to use containers and pallets on forklift trucks to lift workers, despite neither being designed, nor safe, for that purpose.

Millennium Rubber, which produces rubber surfaces for running tracks and children's playgrounds, admitted two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by putting workers' safety at risk. It was fined £90,000 and ordered to pay £21,411 in prosecution costs in a sentencing hearing a Warrington Crown Court on 9 December 2011.

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Press release from UK Health and Safety Executive